Award-winning chefs live in the neighborhood

| May 31, 2018 | 0 Comments

CAROLINE STYNE has been named James Beard Outstanding Restaurateur for 2018.
Photo by Dylan + Jeni

Last month was a busy time for prominent culinary stars residing in our local neighborhoods. At the beginning of the month, Hancock Park resident Caroline Styne, business partner with Suzanne Goin in the famous nearby restaurants Lucques, a.o.c., and other ventures, won the James Beard Foundation award for Outstanding Restaurateur.

The New York City foundation originated from the 1985 efforts of Julia Child, and the foundation has presented its prestigious awards since 1991 to recognize excellence in the food and beverage and related industries.

The month of May saw the second annual, month-long, “Los Angeles Times” food festival coordinated by that newspaper’s restaurant critic, Jonathan Gold. Titled “Food Bowl” and featuring more than 200 foodie events in 31 days, the festival kicked off in Downtown Los Angeles at the evolving City Market South, home of the wonderful new restaurant from Chef Steve Samson, Rossoblu.

This year’s Food Bowl also included one special event close to the Chronicle’s neighborhoods and that featured chef neighbors who, like Caroline Styne, have been recognized by the James Beard Foundation. Vinny Dotolo, Nancy Silverton and Jon Shook are local residents who were featured at a memorable mid-May luncheon held in connection with the 80th anniversary celebration of local dining favorite Lawry’s The Prime Rib on La Cienega Boulevard.

In the James Beard Foundation awards department, Nancy Silverton was Outstanding Pastry Chef in 1991 (for Campanile on La Brea) and Outstanding Chef in 2014 (for Pizzeria Mozza on Highland at Melrose), and Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo together were Best Chef West in 2016 (for Animal on Fairfax).

At the Lawry’s Food Bowl luncheon, prior to a panel discussion moderated by Jonathan Gold and featuring those three chefs and chef Sang Yoon (creator of Father’s Office, Lukshon and more), the dining guests enjoyed creative new approaches to the traditional Lawry’s meal. Shook and Dotolo, who live with their respective families in Hancock Park, presented their version of the famous Lawry’s spinning bowl salad, this time using their own gem lettuce salad recipe from Jon & Vinny’s on Fairfax. Windsor Square resident Nancy Silverton, for this one lunch only, presented her versions of Lawry’s standbys: creamed spinach, creamed corn and Yorkshire pudding.

No doubt, after this big Lawry’s lunch with delicious wines, there were lots of afternoon naps taken!

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Category: Entertainment

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