Dream Guest Shifts for Los Angeles Chefs

Chefs Los Angeles

ary Menes (center) and his Le Comptoir LA crew served three courses at Gold Standard.

On March 4, longtime LA Weekly restaurant critic Jonathan Gold gathered about 50 of his favorite chefs at the Petersen Automotive Museum for his final Gold Standard, a flavorful sendoff before he moved across town to the LA Times. At the event, we asked participating chefs a series questions, including If you could work a guest chef stint at any restaurant right now, for one night, what would it be and why? Read their responses.

Brandon Boudet (Dominick’s, Little Dom’s, The 101 Coffee Shop + Tom Bergin’s)

It would probably be Sushi Gen downtown…It would just be totally different and fun.

Roy Choi (Kogi BBQ, Chego, A-Frame + Sunny Spot)

I just did it, with Mark Peel. He’s my idol, as far as L.A. history and L.A. flavor and food goes. So pulling off that night at The Tar Pit, it was true magic, because it wasn’t about pushing any culinary boundaries or who could cook better, or proving anything. It was Mark and I really complemented each other, and we could finish each other’s plates and we almost created a new style of cooking through us just coming together. We just finished each other’s flavors, and they became one flavor. I’ve already done it…I’d love to team up again with Mark. I’d love to open a restaurant with Mark. We’d be like the Too Hot Tamales.

Ian Gresik (Drago Centro)

I’d want to go to Michel Bras because when I was working in France, I was trying to get a reservation there, and trying to go to dinner there, for four months in a row, and I was never able to go. That’s always been one restaurant I was so close to getting into and seeing and eating at. That would be the one place I’d still want to go.

David LeFevre (M.B. Post)

GT Fish & Oyster in Chicago, and the reason I say that is because Giuseppe [Tentori] and I are best friends. I’ve been his best man, and I haven’t been able to make it to his restaurant yet, but I’d love to be able to go incognito and see him helming his own restaurant and being the superstar that he is, and being able to help him be a rock star.

Gary Menes (Le Comptoir LA)

That’s a great question. I would probably like to guest chef at Una Pizzeria Napoletana. It’s this pizza chef in San Francisco. His name is Anthony Mangieri, and the gentleman is – for lack of a better word – insane about his pizzas. I’ve been cooking now for about 17, 18 years, so it’s more or less inspiration that I’m looking for these days. I’m looking for a different way to approach, and the way he approaches life and food is pretty insane.

Zoe Nathan (Rustic Canyon, Huckleberry, Sweet Rose Creamery + Milo & Olive)

Honestly, this may not sound that exciting, but probably Cooks County, because Roxana [Jullapat], I think her desserts are so awesome. I just love her desserts and find them inspirational. So simple and so honest, l’d love to spend a night in her kitchen.

Bryant Ng (The Spice Table)

Not really. I’ve been fortunate enough to work at the places I wanted to work at, and learn from those chefs, so I’ve been fortunate in that sense.

Christian Page (Short Order)

I think I’d go down to M.B. Post because I haven’t been to the beach in awhile.

Jimmy Shaw (Loteria Grill)

I would love to do something Japanese, somewhere in Tokyo…I love the food there, from the street to the finest, the stuff is amazing.

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Joshua Lurie

Joshua Lurie founded FoodGPS in 2005. Read about him here.

Blog Comments

I want to do one shift at Alinea. That kitchen is amazing. I wish I had a chance to see it in the thick of an evening shift. Or maybe even a shift at Next.

Fun read! Going to Chicago next week. My boss has a farm and he’s raising Ossabaw pigs. I’ll let you know how that goes. Oh, and milk fed chickens.

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