Some of LA’s Biggest Chef Names Will Be Helping Out at Eataly Soon

Not only is the new Century City Eataly a massive, multi-story Italian sensory overload experience all its own, it’s also quickly becoming a nexus point for other chefs around Los Angeles. Soon a collection of the best restaurant names will come into the project.

The first such chef to be drawn to Eataly is Michael Cimarusti of Providence and Connie & Ted’s fame. He’ll be opening a more casual modern seafood space called Il Pesce Cucina, relying on the Dock to Dish sustainable seafood network he’s been working closely with for the past few years. That means the same supply of ocean delicacies Cimarusti sells at his Cape Seafood & Provisions, available as a more approachable seafood-focused corner inside Eataly, past the marketplace.

Wonho Frank Lee

Beyond that dedicated restaurant space, Eataly will also offer room to a rotation of LA chefs from notable restaurants. The plan is for each chef to bring their own recipes to a standalone service counter near the butcher cases, offering simple grab and go and quick-service meals. The first name to drop in is Jason Neroni, who covers the Italian culinary scene himself with Rose Cafe in Venice. After that will be Neal Fraser of Redbird fame, with future stop-ins by Walter Manzke and others along the way. That’s to say nothing of Terra, the still-to-come rooftop restaurant that has not announced a chef yet either — but it’s a fair bet the restaurant will be run by a local chef name, too.

• Inside Eataly, LA's Colossal Emporium of Italian Cuisine [ELA]