Page 79 - April 18 Issue

NATIVE SANTA MONICA TRAVEL & EATS

Here, she was taken under Chef Citrin’s tutelage and
eventually reached the rank of Saucier (one of the most
senior and trusted stations in a classic French Kitchen),
gaining his trust and helping him open two other
restaurants. She also put in her time in Las Vegas working
for one of the world’s most decorated chefs, Joel Robuchon.
These experiences framed her expectations and exacting
standards as a chef. When it comes to her food, her menu is
very eclectic. She uses her cultural background and classic
French training to bring a menagerie of flavors and dishes to
the table. Usually, such variation and not sticking to one
theme is tough to pull off because there is no real focus. But
she has succeeded because part of her belief is that food is a
binder that brings people together. She believes the best

memories are often created over food, and she wants Native
to be that vessel.
Of course, her restaurant and her food are a priority.
However, that is not her sole purpose in life. Her
relationships with small farmers are part of her efforts to
contribute to a thriving society by allowing them to reach as
large of a market as possible and actually be able to make a
living doing so. She also wants to give back to the
community and be a positive influence on society and those
around her. Ultimately, she wants to leave the world a better
place than how she understands it and her avenue for that
is through her food. In my opinion, she is well on her way to
achieving her goals. If you want great food that has some
soul, tastes like it was just picked from the garden and
comes from a variety of backgrounds then Native must be
on your restaurant bucket list.

Don't forget to follow Native:

www.eatnative.la

79| TNE MAGAZINE | APR 2018