El Segundo's Farm Stand Closes to Focus on Fast Casual Middle Eastern Concept

El Segundo’s long-running Farm Stand will close at the end of this month following a decade of service. Family owners Guy (the father) and Sylvie Gabriele will be shuttering their long-running space to focus on other projects — namely a fast casual Middle Eastern concept in conjunction with Michael Fiorelli and Rebecca Merhej of Love & Salt.

The all organic, non-GMO Farm Stand was known for its eclectic variety of French, Italian, and Middle Eastern flavors across lunch, brunch, and dinner, but has pegged March 25th as an official closing date. Of course it’s far from the only iron the Gabriele family has had in the fire in the past few years; they similarly closed their nearly four decade old Cafe Pierre in Manhattan Beach in 2014 in order for Love & Salt to move in.

Since then the business relationship has been working between them and chefs Michael Fiorelli and Rebecca Merhej, with the team — alongside Sylvie Gabriele’s chef husband Alex Mosavi — coming together for this new Lebanese and Persian-inspired fast casual restaurant. It won’t be taking over the Farm Stand address, but rather will set up shop somewhere else in the city sometime in early 2017.

Something Persian-inspired has been in the works with Merhej and Fiorelli for some time now, with both Love & Salt counterparts hinting on their respective Instagrams about some #comingsoon news. This certainly would seem to be it, though there’s nothing concrete in regards to menu, location or timing just yet. They will, however, be focusing on the same non-GMO/all organic ethos of the original Farm Stand.

Of course they’ll be far from the first group to tackle Middle Eastern fast casual food. Options like Yalla in the Valley, the new Cava Grill in Westwood, and Spread Mediterranean Kitchen in Downtown are already up and running, though the angle towards conscious sourcing of produce and animal proteins should help set them apart. More on this one as it comes together down the line.