Beginning with its first official event on Valentine’s Day, the Chef’s Table at Touch of Italy is now open.

The Chef’s Table is on the first floor of a new two-story addition built onto Touch of Italy’s location on Coastal Highway outside Rehoboth Beach. Hari Cameron, a James Beard-nominated chef who owned and operated a(MUSE.) in Rehoboth Beach, co-owns Grandpa Mac on the highway with his brother, and now spends a lot of his time consulting, is culinary director at the Chef’s Table.

Touch of Italy was first opened in fall 2010 in downtown Lewes by Bob Ciprietti. There’s also a location in Ocean City, Md.

Cameron said the Chef’s Table is a new concept for Touch of Italy, with plans for classes, food tastings, private event space, special dinners with his friends from the culinary world, and more.

Hanging from the walls are large flat-screen monitors. During events, the screens will look like pieces of art hanging on the walls. During cooking classes, he said, there will be seven cameras recording with the monitors showing the kitchen space.

“Bob didn’t want any bad seats in the house,” said Cameron.

Centrally located between Lewes and Ocean City, the new addition is more than the Chef’s Table. It will also serve as the company’s commissary. 

Touch of Italy Chef d Cusia Peter Todd Scioli, who has been with Touch of Italy for nearly 15 years, provided a quick tour of the new commissary area. On the first floor, in the space immediately behind the Chef’s Table, are a number of large walk-ins for storage and loading dock space. On the second floor are enormous ovens, mixers with beaters the size of tennis rackets and plenty of prep space.

Everything can be made daily at the new space and then shipped out, said Scioli.

For a full list of events and other information on the Chef’s Table at Touch of Italy, 19724 Coastal Hwy., Rehoboth Beach, go to thechefstablede.com, email info@thechefstablede.com or call 302-227-3900.