Daniel Cutler, chef and co-owner of modern pizza spot Ronan, has been named the next chef at Here's Looking at You in Koreatown. Cutler will fill the position left vacant by the death of the restaurant's co-founder and chef Jonathan Whitener and the retirement of its executive chef in April. Cutler currently splits his time between Here's Looking at You and Ronan, cooking three nights at the former and at least two nights at the latter. Alan Wang, Here's Looking at You's morning prep chef, has also stepped up to fill the vacancy left over from the past few months while the kitchen has been in transition, and will continue to work with Cutler in his new role.
In Cutler's new role, Here's Looking at You will see the return of Whitener family staples like sea urchin panna cotta and sprouted broccoli, while continuing to add Cutler's touch to other dishes, including chicken liver pate and spicy Caesar salad.
Here's Looking at You co-founder Lianne Ta announced Cutler's arrival in a May 18 Instagram post. Though congratulations have started pouring in, she says the experience is bittersweet given the circumstances. For Ta, there was no other choice. She couldn't run the kitchen by herself. The only option would have been to close the restaurant, which was never something she considered. Though the change was unexpected, Ta and her team are committed to making this work in a way that lives up to the essence of Here's Looking at You. “Honestly, we're still sad,” she says. “But we're really happy that we're still open and hopeful that people still want to spend time with us.”
Great White in Venice temporarily closed
Great White, the all-day Australian cafe in Venice, has temporarily closed for an interior renovation. The cafe is scheduled to reopen the weekend of May 25th.
New menu at Anaheim's tiki bar
Strong Water Anaheim, a 2024 James Beard Award finalist, has announced new cocktails and dishes to its menu, including a Black Sesame Colada made with rum, pineapple, lime, black sesame coconut cream, and cinnamon, and Hainanese Chicken Rice.
See Khushbu Shah on tour with her new cookbook
former Food and Wine Restaurant editor Khushbu Shah is on tour to promote her new cookbook. AmericanShe'll be hosting an event at Now Serving in Los Angeles on May 30, where she'll be in conversation with food writer Tejal Rao. Note: Eater editor-in-chief Erin DeJesus will be speaking with Shah at the book signing in Portland.
Standing's burgers are back
Chef's favorite butcher, Standing's Butchery, is returning with a burger pop-up on June 2. This will be Standing's first burger pop-up since the death of its founder, Jerred Standing, in February. The pop-up will serve the classic grilled burger that the pop-up became famous for, made with the restaurant's grass-fed and pasture-raised beef.
