Can you believe it is August? Where has the time gone? It is the time to look around you and enjoy the warm evenings, the summer ingredients (tomatoes and corn, people!) and maybe some slower days before fall gets here. Have you taken any good trips this summer???
Today I want to tell you a little bit about a very special place, a place you should visit if you live in Southern California, or if you are ever visiting. It opened almost exactly four years ago, in July 2022, in the Conrad hotel, part of the amazing The Grand LA in downtown Los Angeles. I’m talking about San Laurel, a beautiful space overlooking some of LA’s most iconic buildings…and a space designed by one of the most iconic architects of our time—Frank Gehry, who we lost late last year.
Opening San Laurel was really special for a few reasons—it was almost a symbolic moment of rebirth because…of course…we were still dealing with Covid in the summer of 2022, and so many restaurants had been hit really hard by the pandemic. I had a conversation with Frank about the process of bringing the physical space of the restaurant to life—and to me, he was really the creator of creators. It’s people like him that lets people like me dream that anything and everything is possible. It doesn’t matter how difficult something might seem, if you really dream about it and you have the will, you can make it happen.
Frank told me “José, I love that you will bring spirit into the building that I created.” And I think Frank did the same thing when he created his buildings. Throughout the design process for The Grand, Frank made sure that everything is interconnected…the shops, the restaurants, the outdoor plazas, the green spaces. The design is meant to bring people together…and to encourage gathering and sharing…because if you’re sitting around the table, or strolling through a plaza, that is what makes the world a better place.
And of course, you know that for me food is a way to tell stories and to bring people together, so to be able to tell that story through both the food and the design is what makes San Laurel so special.
The chef at San Laurel is Jeffry Chen, who has been with me for a while, first at The Bazaar in LA. Do you remember him from when I shared with you this amazing mushroom dish?
Recipes
Easy California-inspired mushrooms and fried eggs
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Mar 11
Friends, you can feel spring knocking at the door…in some places, daffodils are starting to sprout out of the ground, we have soft, golden, late afternoon sunlight, and the air smells warmer and full of possibilities. Things are waking up and coming back to life.
Jeff has an amazing background and ability to take the best of Spain and bring it together with the best ingredients in California, which is exactly what we set out to do with San Laurel. It is also open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so you can have a different experience with each meal. Let’s hear a little bit more from Jeffry himself…!
Tell us a little bit more about your culinary background, and how did you arrive at San Laurel?
I was born in India, but I grew up in Canada. I come from a Chinese background and began my culinary career in February 2004 in the kitchen at Prime Steakhouse in Toronto under the tutelage of the former president of the Escoffier Society. In 2005, I felt the need to pursue a formal culinary education at George Brown Chef School, where I earned a Culinary Management and Co-op Apprenticeship Diploma in Culinary Arts. While attending school, I worked at Hilton Toronto Downtown at their signature restaurant called Tundra, and after graduating in 2006, I remained there for several years, building a strong foundation in classical technique and hospitality.
In April 2012, I relocated to Los Angeles to join The Bazaar by José Andrés at the SLS Beverly Hills. Over the next decade, I progressed through the kitchen from line cook to sous chef, executive sous chef, and ultimately Chef de Cuisine for the SLS hotel. When The Bazaar closed in 2020, I continued leading the culinary team at the SLS before José Andrés appointed me Executive Chef of San Laurel in January 2022.
How do you approach the menu?
Lots of places let the seasons drive their menus, but Southern California isn’t really seasonal. We have the best ingredients all year round, so while it’s important to make sure you are showing them off, there are other sources of inspiration all around. We’re in downtown LA, so if you think about it, you’ve got so many other influences around—Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Koreatown, Little Armenia. You can take ideas from those traditions and tie them together through Spanish traditions and techniques, laddering them up to Chef José’s vision for the place, and there’s a lot of opportunity to keep it really creative.
What’s unique about this place?
I think our philosophy on food overall…but also when you come here, you have to notice the space as well. Frank Gehry designed it with Chef José, so everything is really intentional, from how the light changes in here depending on the time of day to the materials they used—for example, the tiles at the bar were designed by local artists. There’s a really specific thumbprint here that is unique to the place and the people who built it. And you’re also surrounded by some of the most iconic buildings in Downtown LA, like the Walt Disney Concert Hall. So it really reflects this part of the city.
Who dines here?
Interestingly, it’s mostly locals. Because the city is really spread out, if you’re visiting a neighborhood that’s not close to home for you, you’re here for a reason. Lots of people will come in for a show [at the concert hall] and come here because it’s close and it has a great view, and then they’ll return because they loved the food so much.
Know a local in LA? Share this post!
What should people try when they’re here?
Everything!!!! Seriously though, the tasting menu is the best way to try a little bit of everything we’re doing, but we try to change things up, so it’s always worth another visit to see what’s new. Because we do three services a day, if you’re returning to the restaurant, you might want to try a different time of day for a different experience—even the light is different.
Where do you get inspiration (travel/other food)?
At San Laurel, I focus on creating ingredient-driven menus that celebrate the intersection of Spanish and Californian cuisine. Seasonal California produce serves as the foundation for many of our dishes, interpreted through Spanish techniques and contemporary presentation. Signature offerings include our fennel soup with manchego cheese espuma and fennel pollen, our version of vermicelli mac n’ cheese made with fideos pasta topped with Idiazabal cheese, crispy shallots and fudgy egg yolks and our Chef’s Table tasting experience, where guests can explore a progression of creative, modern dishes that reflect both innovation and tradition.
Beyond the restaurant, I was honored to volunteer with World Central Kitchen during the COVID-19 pandemic, working alongside José Andrés and an incredible team to prepare meals for thousands of essential workers at Dodger Stadium. That experience reinforced my belief that food has the power to bring comfort, create community, and make a meaningful impact beyond the dining room.
José here again…are you hungry yet? Have you been to San Laurel? Go visit Chef Jeff and his team when you’re in Los Angeles, and let me know what you think!
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