Page 77 - April 18 Issue

NATIVE SANTA MONICA TRAVEL & EATS

Chefs as a group tend to be very aware. Aware of what, Nyesha comes from a true multi-cultural background,
you may be asking. A good chef has to be aware of having a Southern-born African-American father and a
everything going on in their kitchen and restaurant. Korean mother. She grew up in the kitchen with her
This habit becomes second nature and therefore grandma and has vivid memories of octopus and
translates into becoming aware of the goings-on kimchi starting from the age of 5. These experiences
around your life in general. We as chefs have become laid the foundation for her career in the kitchen. Native
aware of the impact that our chosen profession has on is right in the heart of Santa Monica, just blocks away
society in a number of ways. From how and where we from the famous Santa Monica Farmers Market. This
source our food, to how much waste we are producing, proximity was no accident. She is a regular at the
to the quality of our employee’s lives, and countless Wednesday morning market, hand-selecting the
other aspects of everyday life chefs need to be aware of ingredients that she wants to use for the week. Nyesha
their environment. is dedicated to using the freshest ingredients and
cultivating relationships with the farmers helps her get

Chef Nyesha Arrington is no exception. TGIF recently prime pickings when it comes to the products that she
had the pleasure of sitting down and speaking with will serve at Native.
her. If her name sounds familiar, it’s because it should.
She has one of the hottest restaurants in Los Angeles, Her resume speaks for itself. When she started her
Native. She has also been on several cooking shows, career, she really found her groove working for one of
but where she really came into the national spotlight L.A.’s iconic fine dining restaurants with 2 Star Michelin
was her time on Top Chef. Chef Josiah Citrin at Melisse.

77| TNE MAGAZINE | APR 2018