CleverRoot

4 4 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t OPENING A RESTAURANT is a tough business, but keeping one open is even tougher. Staying open for ten years? That's even rarer, yet Craft Los Angeles has not only survived but flourished into an essential dining desti- nation alongside the original New York location. This past September, Craft LA celebrated its tenth anniversary by showcas- ing the skills of fellow high-caliber players in the local food community. Owner/ celebrity chef Tom Colicchio hosted a dinner featuring dishes from Los Angeles' best chefs in the restaurant's glass-enclosed space overlooking Century Park. During the dinner, guests sipped on cocktails featuring spirits from local producers Greenbar Distillery, beer from Peroni, and Champagne and wine from Taittinger and Costa de Oro, respectively. Dinner was a multi-course affair, with hors d'oeuvres from Alex Chang of The Exchange, cabbage and avocado pit tahini salad from Jessica Koslow of Sqirl, charred eggplants from Ludo Lefebvre of Trois Mec, and lamb from Colicchio and Craft Chef de Cuisine Denis Crutchfield, among other dishes. The Clever Root spoke with Todd Thurman, General Manager of Craft LA, to find out more about Craft's secret to success and what the future holds for the restaurant. Clever Root: Reaching the ten-year mark is an admirable feat for a business, especially in the restaurant industry. How do you explain Craft's success? Todd Thurman: We have longevity to our advantage: Most of our staff has worked at Craft for at least two years and a good number have been here longer than four years. We work hard to always have our guests' needs at the forefront of our minds and hearts, and take our tagline "Make People Happy" seriously. We make sure that this not only applies to our guests, but to our staff as well. In addition to genuinely wanting to take care of our guests, we serve food that is all about attention to quality and letting the ingredients speak for themselves. Our guests appreciate the "simplicity" of our dishes, which actually demands a lot of hard work behind the scenes in sourcing, prepping, preparing, and serving. What's your opinion on what each of the chefs contributed to the anniversary dinner? All of our participating chefs created really incredible dishes that were so thought out and really blew our guests away. It was such an honor and thrill to have so much talent in one kitchen at the same time. We were all fortunate to witness and be a part of the camaraderie and the teamwork—we're very grateful. And it was fun! What has changed over the past ten years in the restaurant industry, particularly in LA? When we opened in 2007, Craft was one of the few restaurants in Los Angeles that was really digging into the farm-to-table movement. We were one of the first to have a forager traveling up and down the state to find the best produce and products and to bring it directly to the restaurant from farms and purveyors—we still work with that same wonderful forager! Notions like "buying local" and "supporting farmers" are pretty much commonplace now, but they weren't so widespread when we first opened. How do you see the future of Craft unfolding? We will continue to be the place people can count on. Along with Tom [Colicchio]'s continued efforts in fighting hunger and his passion for making the industry a better place, we'll always strive to be the restaurant where you can find the best food, service, and hospitality. CELEBRATIONS Crafting a Success Story CRAFT LA CELEBRATES ITS TENTH ANNIVERSARY by Jesse Hom-Dawson An impressive lineup of Los Angeles culinary talent, from left: Jon Shook, Vinny Dotolo, Tom Colicchio, Ludo Lefebvre, Alex Chang, and Jessica Koslow; in front, Shannon Swindle and Denis Crutchfield. In the top image, Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo's dish of heirloom tomato, plum, pistachio dukkah, and celery leaf. Todd Thurman, Craft LA's General Manager, and Molly Magliano, Assistant General Manager. Craft LA Pastry Chef Shannon Swindle made roasted peaches and poached figs with berries for dessert. PHOTOS COURTESY OF CRAFT LA ■cr

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