Rumorosa Chef Marcos Seville Shares His Thanksgiving Day Tips

San Diego home cooks, prepare your tongs and spatulas. Chef Marcos Seville, the culinary maestro behind the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina’s $100 million makeover—including its crown jewel, Rumorosa—joined the Happy Half Hour podcast to talk Thanksgiving tips, culinary rants, and his newest restaurant. Spoiler: His tamale class might change your life.

Seville grew up as a self-proclaimed picky eater in Coronado, learning to cook to escape his dinner plate despair. Fast-forward through Hyde Park training and stints at some of the country’s top hotels, and now he’s the chef leading the reinvention of a San Diego classic. Rumorosa is all about Baja influences and seasonal ingredients—you’ll find dishes like prime New York steak, Veracruz-style sea bass, and creamy hominy mash.

November 4, 2024

Where to Get Thanksgiving Dinner in San Diego, 2024RELATED ARTICLE

On the pod, Seville shares advice for elevating your turkey game. His number one tip? Brine it. Whether you go with a classic wet brine (salt, sugar, water, and ice) or get creative with honey or agave, this step is non-negotiable if you want moist, flavorful meat. And for the love of leftovers, he’s team “cook two turkeys”—one for dinner and one purely for the next-day sandwiches.

Printed IssueSubscribe and get 1 year for $18

But if you’d prefer not to cook at all, Rumorosa is offering a special prix fixe Friendsgiving menu ($65/person) throughout November, with proceeds benefiting the Berry Good Food Foundation. And, on Thanksgiving Eve, the restaurant will lay out a buffet-style Friendsgiving feast ($20/person) with live music (and mezcal-flambéed flan).

Seville is also hosting a tamale-making class on December 12. For $125, you’ll learn his family recipe, prepare masa and fillings from scratch, and walk away with a dozen tamales. A family-style dinner follows. It’s the perfect way to connect with San Diego’s best culinary traditions.