Chef to hold book signing in Visalia and Fresno

Anthony Lamas, an award-winning Kentucky chef with Tulare County roots, will be holding a book signing 5-7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, at the Vintage Press, 216 N Willis St., in Visalia.

He will also be in Fresno on Saturday, Nov. 21, at Barnes & Noble, 7849 North Blackstone Ave., from 2-4 p.m.

Lamas is owner of Seviche, a Latin restaurant, and author of his first cookbook, “Southern Heat: New Southern Cooking, Latin Style.” The 281-page book, co-authored by Gwen Pratesi, is a collection of recipes featuring everything from Latin classics like Puerto Rican mofongo, a fried plantain dish, to Nashville-style habanero hot chicken. Celebrity chef Bobby Flay calls, “An American treasure with a Latin beat.”

Lamas grew up in Southern California and Tulare County, where he discovered his love of cooking. He was a frequent visitor to his uncle’s Porterville restaurant, Lamasty.

He opened his restaurant Seviche in 2005 to rave reviews and was the 2011 Food Network Extreme Chef Winner.

This story was originally published November 9, 2015 at 2:06 AM with the headline "Chef to hold book signing in Visalia and Fresno."