Orange County’s food world remembers Rainer Schwarz as a mentor and a friend (original) (raw)

Rainer Schwarz, the Austrian-born chef and restaurateur who helped shape Laguna Beach’s culinary scene and beyond through Driftwood Kitchen and The Deck, died this week in a car crash. He was 59.

For the chefs, fellow restaurateurs and friends who knew him best, Schwarz, who cut his teeth in kitchens at 15 years old, was more than a polished culinary figure with pedigreed European training. He was a larger-than-life presence who was generous with his time, deeply loyal and invested in the community that surrounded him.

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“He will be the most missed person in this industry,” said Amar Santana, friend and fellow chef. “His smile was one of a kind, and his voice was something you could hear from a mile away.”

Santana said Schwarz was one of the first chefs in Laguna Beach to welcome him when Santana opened his eponymous Broadway by Amar Santana around the same time Schwarz was completing Driftwood Kitchen just across Coast Highway.

In an industry often saturated with ego and competition, Santana recalled how Schwarz did something simple that stayed with him all these years: He introduced himself. “He was probably one of the few chefs that actually came to me and introduced himself,” said Santana. “That, to me, was respect.”

Their mutual respect, which blossomed in what can all too often be a combative industry, grew beyond kitchens and food festivals. The two regularly appeared at Orange County charity events together, often teasing each other about who would commit first. “He would be like, ‘I’ll do it if you do it,’ ” said Santana with a laugh. “And I’d say, ‘No, I’ll do it if you do it.’ ”

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Schwarz’s longtime business partner John Nye said their working relationship stretched across decades and several projects, including Disney’s Mondavi project, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel and finally Laguna Beach.

“We worked together three different times over a decade,” said Nye. “But we built The Deck and Driftwood Kitchen as a reflection of our love for good food and good people.”

Their mutual philosophy was to put people first, according to Nye. “We always wanted to be recognized first for our people, then our food, and lastly, the location,” he noted. “That’s when we knew we had it right. If we had a legacy, it was the family and friends we have made in Laguna to this day.”

Rainer Schwarz attracts a crowd in 2017. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

That sense of community and family extended far beyond his restaurants. Publicist and close friend Mona Shah, who worked with Schwarz for 12 years, said he was known for stepping up, whether for a fundraiser or a friend in need.

“Chef Rainer was not only my client for 12 years, but a true friend,” said Shah. “He had an incredibly big heart and endless stories to share.”

She recalled bringing her children to meetings and shoots at Driftwood and The Deck, where the lauded chef would happily play babysitter. “He never hesitated to step in,” said Shah. “Spoiling them with sugar and endless attention. They loved him.”

Writer Jenn Tanaka echoed similar sentiments, saying, “When my son was little, Rainer would come along to photoshoots and always made him something special while we waited.”

During the uncertainty of the pandemic, Shah noted that Schwarz turned into a central figure in a network of chefs who leaned on one another. ”He was always the first to say yes to charitable events,” she recalled. “He had a way of bringing so many people together.”

Dean Kim, master baker and founder of OC Baking Company, said that Schwarz was the kind of chef who never hesitated to show up for others. “Rainer truly was a great guy and a great friend,” said Kim. “He never said no to a friend or someone in need, and he was one of the hardest-working and most talented chefs I’ve ever known.”

Schwarz was behind the wheel of an Audi on Crown Valley Parkway near Pacific Coast Highway late Monday afternoon, April 6, when the vehicle veered off the road, went through some landscaping and ended up in parking lot, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Kim added that Schwarz’s sudden death was also a sober reminder of how quickly life can change. “Words cannot fully describe how difficult it is to lose someone like him,” he noted. “We focus on work so much rather than balancing our lives. Life is short, and it can change in an instant.”

Tarit Tanjasiri, baker and owner of Crema Artisan Bakers, said Schwarz’s absence already feels surreal. “When I think of him, I always smile and shake my head,” she said. “He is larger than life, a massive personality. I will miss him so much. I still expect him to text me to go grab lunch next week.”

Executive chef Yvon Goetz, founder of The Winery Restaurant and Wine Bar, also remembered Schwarz as a friend whose personality filled every room. “Rainer was a very good friend of mine, and he will be deeply missed. He lived life fully, always stating ‘go big or go home’ and truly embodied that spirit in everything he did. He was the life of the party, a great and passionate chef and incredibly generous. Always ready to help anyone in need. My heart goes out to his wife Tasha, his son Max and his entire family.”

Schwarz is survived by his wife, Tasha, and son, Max. In Orange County, his legacy will continue to live on in the eateries he helped create and in the lasting friendship he built.