SUZANNE GOIN AND CAROLINE STYNE EXPAND TO MONTECITO, CALIFORNIA WITH NEW RESTAURANT

Restaurateurs will Honor Farmhouse Cooking and Central Coast Lifestyle in the Montecito Country Mart Location

Chef Suzanne Goin and business partner Caroline Styne, owners of the acclaimed Lucques, A.O.C., Tavern and the Larder at Maple Drive restaurants in Los Angeles, announce that they have finalized plans to open a new restaurant in Montecito, on the Central Coast of California.  The restaurant, as yet un-named, will be located in the Montecito Country Mart at 1014 Coast Village Road, in Montecito. Chef Javier Espinoza and Julie Grimm, both veterans of Lucques and A.O.C., will relocate to the area to lead the restaurant as Chef de Cuisine and General Manager.

Goin and Styne were approached by James Rosenfield of J.S. Rosenfield & Co., the real estate developer who owns and manages the prototype Brentwood Country Mart and Marin Country Mart and has a proven reputation for building charming properties embraced by local communities. Still in the planning stages, Goin and Styne are anticipating an opening in late spring of 2013.

“My husband and I both went to college in Santa Barbara County,” said Caroline Styne, “and Suzanne and I have always had a strong connection with the people and lifestyle there.  She and Goin fell in love with the space, and immediately sensed the possibilities in bringing their restaurant style to one of the most beautiful places on the California coast.  Goin agrees, saying, “We know how important it is for us to take the time to cultivate a relationship with the people of Montecito and create something truly personal for them.”

Goin plans a menu showcasing seasonal and locally grown foods cooked simply to be enjoyed in a relaxed farmhouse setting.  Lunch, dinner and brunch menus are being developed, using a wood-burning oven and grill as a primary source for roasting fish, meats, stews, burgers, and pizzettes crafted in the style that has made each of their restaurants a success. Styne will again oversee operations and the wine program, selecting small and interesting producers for the wine list along with a selection of farmer’s market-driven cocktails.

For the design, Goin and Styne will rely on the talent of designer Jeffery Alan Marks who handled the work for Tavern, their restaurant in Brentwood. Marks imagines a space that pays homage to a classical Montecito farm house through a mid-century lens.

Suzanne Goin was named one of Food and Wine magazine’s “Best New Chefs” in 1999, within a year after opening her first restaurant.  In 2005, Suzanne’s cookbook, Sunday Suppers at Lucques, was published by Alfred A. Knopf.  In 2006, the James Beard Foundation acknowledged Suzanne’s culinary achievements with the award for Best Chef California and an award for her cookbook, Best Cookbook from a Professional Viewpoint.

Goin and Styne are among the most respected restaurateurs in California, and continue to receive praise for their food, beverage programs and service from the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, L.A. Weekly, Daily News, Condénast Traveler, Gourmet, Bon Appétit, Saveur, Los Angeles, Angeleno, Zagat and Gayot.com.  They are co-founders of L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade, their fundraiser benefiting research for childhood cancer which has raised over $700K since its inception in 2010.  Goin has received four concurrent nominations for Outstanding Chef of the Year from 2008 – 2011 and Styne received a nomination for Outstanding Restaurateur in 2012, both by the James Beard Foundation.  Suzanne and Lucques Catering have been the official caterers for the annual SAG (Screen Actors Guild) Awards for the past three years.  In 2011 and 2012, Goin and Styne were honored to have been selected to prepare fundraising dinners for President Obama.

For updates on the restaurant information, the public can visit:

Suzanne Goin on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SuzanneGoin
or
Follow Suzanne Goin on Twitter: @SuzanneGoin
Follow Caroline Styne on Twitter: @carolinestyne
###