Bob Small, retired CEO of Fairmont Hotels, has come to Pritikin every year for the past 20 years. "I've loved all my vacations at Pritikin, but this last one was the best. The food was fabulous. The new chef has made big, big changes. He's terrific!"

Mr. Small has plenty of company. In the past several months, session after session, guests have praised Executive Chef Drew Rosen and his staff of sous chefs and servers.

"I ate like a king," says restaurateur Bautista Locatelli, owner for 34 years of the popular Bautista's Hole-In-the-Wall Italian restaurant in Las Vegas. On the last day of his Pritikin visit in November, Bautista announced, "I can't wait to come back."

"We cut no corners"

What's the secret to Chef Drew's success? "We cut no corners," says Drew, who has owned and operated fine dining establishments in Alaska, California, and Florida and possesses a vast background in natural foods. "Every ingredient we purchase is the freshest and highest quality we can buy. Every ingredient - from onions to lobster. It takes a lot of time and tremendous commitment, but it turns good meals into great meals."