Celebrity chef Robert Irvine coming to Quechan Casino Resort

A chef who catered for the Oscars, cooked for Queen Elizabeth aboard her royal yacht, and has starred in three hit shows on the Food Network is bringing some of his favorite recipes to Yuma.

Chef Robert Irvine plans to transform Quechan Casino Resort into his personal kitchen this Saturday and you all are invited for dinner.

“If you want to be entertained, have fun and see something totally new and unique, then be at the casino,” Irvine told the Yuma Sun during a recent interview. “It's going to be amazing!”

Most Yumans know Irvine from his show “Restaurant: Impossible,” a reality show challenging Irvine to renovate failing restaurants in two days with a budget of $10,000.

The celebrity chef stepped into the celebrity spotlight with the show “Dinner: Impossible” and has also appeared on “The Next Iron Chef” and “Worst Cooks in America.”

Irvine proudly shares that “Restaurant: Impossible” earned the honor of being the Food Network's highest rated program ever in the Wednesday slot. The show is now in its fifth season.

Irvin'e promoters call his live performances as “high energy, multimedia and multi-sensory theatrical experiences.”

“More than just a cooking demo, Robert Irvine LIVE is an interactive show that provides multiple opportunities for audience participation,” promoters state on his website, “while witnessing the challenging nature of the TV show, ‘Dinner: Impossible,' come to life right before your eyes.”

Multiple cameras on the stage alonside Irvine provide a close-up view of the chef at work as he chops, dices, mixes and serves.

“We have toured around the country for over a year now, and the thing that always amazes me is Robert's ability to captivate and entertain the audience,” said Joshua Lingenfelter, a publicist for Irvine. “Where people see this intense guy on TV, they are often surprised to see just how funny he is in real life. That humor definitely comes through in this show. If you didn't know what was on stage you would think the audience was watching a rock show, a comedy, or anything other than a cooking show.”

Irvine says folks in the audience should always “expect the unexpected.”

“Throughout the show I am at the mercy of the audience and my team. I don't know what ingredients there will be, what dishes I am going to cook, or what kind of challenges will be thrown at me,” the chef said. “Every show we do is different. We don't even think of it as a cooking show, it's way more theatrical than that.”

He added that performing in front of a crowd instead of a lineup of cameras certainly offers an added sense of magic for him.

“I love being able to connect with the fans and have a great time,” he said.

Irvine's show at Quechan Casino Resort is slated for 8 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are $29, $39 and $49 for this 21-and-up event.

The native of England discovered his calling to cook in a most unsual setting. He had joined the British Royal Navy as a teen and superiors quickly recognized his gift for creating delicious meals. Those good marks earned him an appointment aboard the Royal Yacht Brittania, upon which the royal family regularly dined while on excusions.

Irvine came across the pond to the U.S. when he was chosen to train U.S. Navy chefs through a guest chef program. That appointment presented him the opportunity to work in the White House kitchens and create meals for high-ranking government officials.

In addition to his work on television, Irvine has also authored two books: “Mission: Cook!” and “Impossible to Easy.”