Marmalade Café has appointed chef Romeo Garcia to oversee the innovative California restaurant at La Cumbre Plaza, 3825 State St.

The 20-year veteran began his culinary career helping his father preparing meats in Mexico, he worked as a migrant picker in California, and he has been with numerous restaurants in Santa Monica, including Marmalade Café, where he honed his skills. In the early 1990s he opened the Malibu and Santa Monica Marmalade Cafés.

“We are thrilled with Romeo’s outstanding work and are delighted to have him on our team,” said Mark Hopper, general manager of the Santa Barbara Marmalade Café.

Garcia is well-known for his exceptional catering skills, which were fine-tuned when he began working with the Burns family, both at the Bob Burns Restaurants and Marmalade Café in the early 1980s and ‘90s.

“Working with the Burns family and Selwyn Yosslowitz, partners in this restaurant, has been a great career opportunity for me, and I enjoy my work,” Garcia said.

The complete menu at Marmalade Café is available for take out, and the restaurant offers exceptional full-service catering, which can include food, staff, décor, flowers, valet and any additional services to ensure a memorable event. Garcia is a seasoned professional in Marmalade’s catering operations and will be overseeing the services locally.

The atmosphere in the Santa Barbara café is inviting, offering patrons an atmosphere that is warm, with friendly service and fine food at an affordable price.

Marmalade guests can savor the café’s ambiance sitting family-style in the dining area, outside on the patio, or at the beautiful Italian marble bar. The bar is a perfect venue to enjoy a quick dinner or small plate with a glass of wine. The new wine menu offers a bevy of great options for pairing with meals, and for beer lovers there is a respectable list of popular brews.

Marmalade Café was the brainchild of Bonnie and Bobby Burns, along with marketing entrepreneur Selwyn Yosslowitz. The family-run business now has restaurants in Santa Barbara, Calabasas, El Segundo, Los Angeles (Farmer’s Market), Malibu, Rolling Hills Estates, Santa Monica, Sherman Oaks and Westlake Village.

The restaurant at La Cumbre Plaza has easy parking, and the restaurant is open from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Click here for more information or call 310.544.6700.

Freelance writer Bonnie Carroll represents Marmalade Café.