Q. Please tell us about your restaurants?

A. When we opened our first restaurant, Lucques, we had a vision to create a restaurant environment that was as if we were welcoming you into our home, serving food I want to cook and like to eat, a bit soulful, yet a little on the decadent side. 

Then, our next venture, A.O.C., grew out of the bar scene at Lucques, where people naturally congregated for a more casual, urban, and bustling scene, which emerged out of mutual  love of wine and tasting different flavors.

A. I would say that my perspective has not really changed that much since I started, but I am more deeply entrenched in ‘farm to table,’ as I have built relationships with our local farmers and producers over the years. And, I have been fortunate to have traveled to new places that have turned me on to new things and can inspire my menus. Our diners have gotten much more interested and knowledgeable about food and cooking also. It's very exciting and makes it even more fun to cook in my home town of Los Angeles!

Q. You have opened three successful restaurants with Caroline Styne, what have been some of the keys to building both the restaurants and the relationship together?
A. Well, I call her my restaurant wife. It really is a relationship thing. We have had our ups and downs (fortunately never too down!) and have really learned to communicate well with each other. It helps that we have a strong mutual respect and trust, and we usually have the same opinion – almost to a bizarre degree. 99% of the time I can predict down to the actual language how she will respond to a question or situation. It's been so great to have a partner in this crazy business for all these years.

Q. After working in a number of kitchens and working now in your multiple kitchens simultaneously, is there one dish that you never tire of cooking and / or enjoying?
A. I do actually get bored of cooking the same dishes, that's why we are always changing the menu. But I always love to grill and braise, and I love making salads. I find that I can just like to change them up according to the season’s produce and products to keep it interesting! So, in winter, I’ll use citrus or pomegranates in my salads and in summer I’ll use stone fruits instead. As far as eating, I'm a completely a creature of habit. I never tire of the farro and black rice with currants and pinenuts at A.O.C or our steak frites at Lucques.

Q. You have built close relationships with food purveyors over the years, but any tips for a novice shopping at and trying to get the best out of a farmers market?
A. Tasting is the key. We are buying all year long at least 3 times a week, so we always know whose fava beans are best at any particular moment. But really we know that from continuously tasting the product. Remember it really changes throughout the season, so the farm with the best peaches early in the season may not have the best late-season peaches.

Q. Ingredients are very important to a chef, what are some items that you can recommend for home cooks to have on hand in their pantry?
A. Capers from Pantelleria.

Great nut oils from LeBlanc.

California Olive Ranch extra virgin olive oils.

La Mitica marcona almonds and all their cheeses.

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FIND...

Q. Who are the purveyors  that you use that really inspire you and what do you love about them?
A. Forever Cheese out of Long Island City. Michele Buster seeks out the finest and most unusual cheese from Spain, Italy and Portugal. I really know that any cheese she imports is going to be delicious and special.

Cowgirl Creamery out of Northern California. This is the same as Forever Cheese, except for French and American cheeses.

Provvista out of Portland, Oregon. This is another very passionate and dedicated food company. With great olive oils, jams, olives, cured meats, cheeses, pickles, condiments and on and on and on.

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Q. What are three things (tools/gadgets/etc) in your kitchen, at home, that couldn’t you live without?
A. A cast iron pan, sharp knife, mortar and pestle.

Q. Is there a cooking resource (store / website) that you can pass along as a good place to get information or products?
A. Zingermans.com and Le-Sanctuaire.com.

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Q. Is there a market that you like (anywhere) that is worth going out of your way to visiting?
A. The main market, Le Boqueria, in Barcelona.

The fish market, Tsukiji, in Tokyo.

The Ferry Building in San Francisco.

and MY FAVORITE is the Santa Monica farmers market on Wednesdays.

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EAT...
Q. Aside from your own restaurant and home, which restaurant do you like to eat at that has food that you crave?
A. Gjelina in Venice.

Jinpachi for Sushi in West Hollywood.

Lou is a great wine bar on Vine in Hollywood.

Canele in Atwater Village.

Camino in Oakland.

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Q. You have three children, are there any kid-friendly restaurants that you love for the food?
A. My problem is my kids aren't really restaurant-friendly yet! They love Canele in Atwater Village for brunch. Actually my daughter is great and can sit still (harder for the boys!) and she loves Canele all the time.

Neal and Amy Fraser’s BLD is great too.

But when we go out, we mostly we eat at ‘Daddy's’ restaurant, The Hungry Cat, in Hollywood, owned by my husband, David Lentz.

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Q. Which restaurants do you like which would fall under the description of “off the beaten track” and what do you like about it?
A. Nothing specific, but I love discovering a great fromagerie or charcuterie shop and buying breads, cheeses and snacks and just enjoying it informally, whether it gets you through a long drive, at home or a picnic. And when you’re in LA, you have to love a good taco stand. You almost never make a wrong move there.

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Q. In your travels (anywhere/any price), are there any restaurants that really stand out in your mind, which ones and what should we order if we go there?
A. I was impressed with L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon in Paris. It’s great fun sitting at the counter and watching it all happen. And one of the best preparations of Dover sole anywhere.

The other is Yves Camdeborde’s Le Comptoir in Paris. Really hard to get a reservation but one isn’t needed at lunch so that’s a good time to try it out.

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DRINK...
Q. Favorite spot for a cocktail / aperitif to begin the night?
A. Either Lou for a glass of wine or the Chateau Marmont Hotel for great scenery.

Q. Where should we end the night for a nightcap?
A. This is easy. My nightcap is always wherever I am working, so it would be A.O.C, Lucques or Tavern, where I can easily unwind.

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Q. Is there a spirit / wine that you’ve come across lately that you were really impressed by and what do you like about it?

A. My business partner Caroline Styne made a great chardonnay, J&H, with winemaker and friend Katherine Strange. The wine was made at Laird Winery in Napa and is made in neutral oak barrels. They made a bright, fresh, high acid chardonnay that is free from the oaky, buttery chardonnay stereotype. It drinks like a fatter version of Chablis, with high toned citrus notes, great minerality and freshness.

BTG is another little project that Caroline put together with Mark Tarlov from Evening Land Vineyards. Caroline wanted to come up with a great chardonnay to serve "By The Glass" which in restaurant-speak is referred to as BTG, so Mark offered up the services of his amazing vineyard sites and talented winemakers to create this slightly fleshy wine that is dominated by rich stone fruit, exotic spiciness and just a touch of French oak to round it out.

Personally, I’m a rosé lover.  I just tasted a really delicious wine from Samsara in the Santa Rita Hills. Chad Melville made a tiny amount of this Pinot Noir based rosé that was a surprise to me because it is actually so different from the rosés that I normally drink. It's pretty fruit forward and fleshy, loaded with strawberry rhubarb notes and bursting with freshness.  It's the perfect wine to drink this spring while having a long, indulgent lunch al fresco. 

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Recommendations

Details of Suzanne Goin’s recommendations for where to eat, drink and shop in California, Barcelona, Tokyo, Paris.

Recipes

- Blood Orange, Date and Parmesan Salad

- Braised Beef Short Ribs

- Wild Flower Honey Panna Cotta with Blood Orange Granita