By Brianna Chu Magnolia House has been inviting Pasadenans into its homey, chic space since 2014. The interior embraces the hundred-year-old Craftsman house from which the space has been built, creating a modern yet cozy atmosphere. The front of the house is a large garage-door window that opens out to let the summer breeze flow…
By Brianna Chu Fumi and Sayuri Tachibe opened their first restaurant together on April 18, 2013. Osawa is a passion project for the Tachibes, one that had been on their minds for a while. After about 30 years of Fumi having working at Chaya, he transitioned from working as a chef at a large, corporate…
By Brianna Chu Shawna Dawson got the idea for “LA’s original tasting event” while she was the Director of Marketing for Yelp. Having grown up in Eagle Rock and Highland Park, she has a great appreciation for all the amazing local cuisine. Inspired, she envisioned an event that showcased not only some of the best…
By Brianna Chu When I approached the Pasadena Playhouse early Monday evening, the air was abuzz with conversation and laughter; graduands’ family and friends were standing as close to the front doors of Playhouse as they could, arms full of flowers and balloons, waiting to celebrate their graduands. The Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) welcomed…
By Brianna Chu November 19, 2019 will mark Mi Piace’s 30th anniversary; when they opened in 1989, Old Town Pasadena didn’t even have Cheesecake Factory yet. Mi Piace is one of the few restaurants that were open in 1989 still left. Armen Shirvanian opened Mi Piace with his mom, and partner and pastry chef Takis Markoutsis….
By Brianna Chu Greg Lukasiewicz is no restaurant industry rookie. Lukasiewicz’s career has taken him from the highly Zagat-rated French-Japanese restaurant, Shiro, to opening two high-end restaurants named after his daughters – first Devon, and then Halie – to starting a “recession gourmet” taco chain, Bull Taco, on the beach when he was supposed to…
By Brianna Chu Gustavo Landgrebe’s restaurant, 1810, is celebrating its tenth year, and heralded in that milestone with some updates to both its interior and its menu. The restaurant is a rustic, warm, cozy space with beautiful exposed brick. One of the new features post-remodel is a bar area, with the white marble countertop and…
By Brianna Chu Students of all ages, background, and experience are moving in and out of the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE)’s fairly new Los Angeles campus from 7:30 am to 10:00 pm most weekdays. There are three shifts of classes: 7:30-11:30 am, 12:00-4:00 pm, and 6:00-10:00 pm, the latter of which is meant for…
By Brianna Chu When you walk into Mignon Chocolate, you don’t just walk into a chocolate store: you walk into a business with a rich, multi-generational, and cosmopolitan history. The Ter Poghossian family business starts with Mignon Chocolate owner Joe Ter Poghossian’s grandfather, Hovsep Ter Poghossian Sr., who opened and operated a bakery in Ukraine…
By Brianna Chu John Bicos shares ownership of Gus’s BBQ with his brother, Chris. He had been coming to Gus’s since he was a kid, as his best friend (and indeed, the best man at his wedding!) was the great-grandson of the eponymous Gus, who started the restaurant with his relatives in 1946. Their family…