New Zealander Jean-Paul Lourdes will head the elegant, full-service dining room with expansive views. At the Getty, Chef Jean-Paul’s new, frequently changing menus will focus on the best of what the Hollywood and Santa Monica farmers’ markets have to offer, along with locally and sustainably caught fish and shellfish. (While he does offer some beef, he gravitates to chicken and pork for their lighter carbon footprint.) He will also draw inspiration from exhibitions and iconic works in the Getty’s permanent collection.
“I’m excited about trying new things at the Getty, which is such an inspirational place, and a destination for visitors from all over the world,” said Mr. Lourdes. “The art, the architecture, and the views call for the freshest ideas, and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
A newcomer to the Los Angeles culinary scene, Jean-Paul Lourdes was born in New Zealand and received a bachelor’s in biochemistry from the University of Paris XI. He completed a joint master’s degree in food science and nutrition from the University of New South Wales.
His career includes stops at three-star Michelin restaurants, including Pierre Gagnaire at the Hôtel Balzac in Paris and Joel Robuchon in Tokyo, as well as working throughout Asia for Shangri-La Hotels. In his former position, as Executive Chef at Restaurant Latour in rural New Jersey, he received a rapturous review and “excellent” rating from The New York Times. He joined Bon Appétit Management Company, which operates the Restaurant at the Getty, in September.
Committed to local, seasonal and sustainable cuisine, he is passionate about the ancient art of Kaiseki, which involves cooking with the freshest ingredients available and enhancing their flavors, rather than overwhelming them. He also draws on the color, composition and textures of haute couture, which inspire visually stunning dishes that can be colorful or monochromatic, elegant or playful, in turns.
The Getty’s Restaurant offers full service in an elegant setting with views of the ocean and the Santa Monica Mountains. Lunch hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11:30am–2:30pm Dinner hours are Saturday 5:00–9:00pm Brunch is served on Sunday from 11:00am–3:00pm Restaurant menus change seasonally. Reservations are recommended. Call (310) 440-6810, or make reservations online.
About Bon Appétit Management Company
Bon Appétit Management Company is an on-site restaurant company operating more than 650 cafés in 32 states for corporations, universities, and museums, as well as multiple public restaurants, including Terzo Piano in Chicago and The Commissary, Public House, and STEM Kitchen and Garden in San Francisco. Bon Appétit chefs cook from scratch, including sauces, stocks, and soups. A pioneer in environmentally sound sourcing policies, Bon Appétit has developed programs addressing local purchasing, the overuse of antibiotics, sustainable seafood, the food and climate change connection, humanely raised meat and eggs, and farmworker rights. Its work has been recognized by organizations including the International Association of Culinary Professionals, the James Beard Foundation,
Natural Resources Defense Council, Seafood Choices Alliance, and The Humane Society of the United States.