Lucques, arguably one of Los Angeles’s most beloved and critically acclaimed restaurants, commemorates its 20th birthday milestone with a four-month series of thoughtfully-planned dinners. This iconic restaurant, with its cozy brick decor, wood beams and elegant garden was originally the rustic carriage house of the Harold Lloyd Estate. On September 25, 1998, the doors opened as Lucques, the debut venture of Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne and the flagship restaurant of The Lucques Group. The restaurant, with Suzanne’s regularly changing menus of French/California dishes created from the rich choices of produce from the weekly farmers’ markets and Caroline’s inspired wine selections, made an immediate and everlasting impact on Los Angeles culinary narrative.
To celebrate the birthday, Suzanne and Caroline are taking a heartfelt four-month journey through their history and highlighting the moments, people and places that influenced them along the way.
The series of one-night-only events include a tribute dinner with fellow Food & Wine magazine’s “Best New Chefs of 1999” Paul Kahan and Marc Vetri along with journalist Kate Krader; a dinner commemorating Suzanne’s culinary travel to Spain with Wylie Dufresne, Gabrielle Hamilton, Michael Schlow and Paula Disbrowe; and the OG Dinner in recognition of Lucques’ talented alumni Corina Weibel, Julie Robles, Brian Edwards, Breanne Varela and Laura Schweers who were instrumental to the restaurant’s early success. The Wood-Fire Heroes dinner will team friends and chefs Chris Bianco and Russell Moore who will recreate some of the dishes from Suzanne Goin and David Lentz’s 2004 wedding dinner in Phoenix by Bianco.
The birthday will culminate on September 24, 2018, with a one-night-only gala complete with surprise guests, family, friends and memorabilia of the past twenty years with details to be announced in the upcoming months.
“We came up with a wish-list of all the ways in which we wanted to celebrate, and somehow they all worked out!” states Suzanne Goin. “Starting with our June dinner with Chez Panisse and all of the other exciting dinners with chef friends from near and far, the summer-long party will culminate with our September 24th birthday bash. It’s been quite a trip to revisit our history and think of all the people who have been part of Lucques throughout the years. We realize that as much as we’ve grown and changed, our vision has always stayed the same. We feel so lucky to have built such a supportive and wonderful restaurant family. These events are our way of saying thank you by bringing everyone together to celebrate and raise a glass to another 20 years!”
And Caroline Styne agrees, “We thought long and hard about how to celebrate this milestone and realized that we really wanted to share some of the most meaningful moments in our early history through these dinners. It’s a great way for us to share those old school Lucques days with our newer staff members and guests and bring the last 20 years full circle.”
In addition to these events, Lucques will be revisiting some of their most memorable menus with regular ‘Retro Sunday Suppers’ and Wednesday night ‘Celebrate the Farmers’ Feasts featuring Peter Schaner, James Birch and more.
Schedule of Events
Sunday, July 1
Food & Wine Magazine’s Best New Chef 1999 Reunion Dinner with Paul Kahan, Marc Vetri and Kate Krader
Lucques was just one year old when Suzanne got the surprising phone call from Food & Wine magazine announcing that she was named one of their Best New Chefs for 1999. Two of those other chefs became particularly close friends of Suzanne and Caroline’s and one, Marc Vetri, introduced them to the charity from which was born their annual fundraiser, L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade. Journalist Kate Krader, who was influential in choosing those Best New Chefs will be in the house as well.
$150
Sunday, July 22
The Real OGs
Lucques welcomes back the crew from the early days to cook a momentous Old School Sunday Supper with them. This dinner includes talented alumni Corina Weibel, Julie Robles, Brian Edwards, Breanne Varela and Laura Schweers.
$95
Monday, July 30
Spain Trip Reunion Dinner with Wylie Dufresne, Gabrielle Hamilton, Paul Kahan, Michael Schlow and Paula Disbrowe
A born Francophile, Suzanne focused the early years of Lucques on the Southern countryside of France, but a momentous trip to Spain in 2001 opened her eyes to the glories of the Iberian Peninsula and introduced her to an extraordinary group of chefs who have remained great friends of the restaurant ever since.
$215
Sunday, August 12
Wood-Fired Heroes
Lucques welcomes great friends and chefs Chris Bianco and Russell Moore to grill their hearts out over a wood-fire! Russ and Suzanne worked together at Chez Panisse back in the day, and Chris so impressed Suzanne and her then-fiancé David Lentz that they decided to get married at Pizzeria Bianco and have him create the menu. Look out for a few of those wedding dishes to show up on the 12th!
$150
Monday, September 24, 2018
The Birthday Bash
Celebrating the incredible 20-year journey with a five-course dinner of favorite dishes from over the years. More details to come!
$195
Reservations required; call the restaurant at 323.655.6277 or book online at www.lucques.com.
LUCQUES
8474 Melrose Ave
West Hollywood, California 90069
Phone 323.655.6277
ABOUT THE LUCQUES GROUP:
With the opening of Lucques, their flagship restaurant, in 1998, three-time James Beard Foundation’s award-winner Suzanne Goin and 2018 James Beard award-winning restaurateur Caroline Styne planted the seeds for The Lucques Group, a Los Angeles hospitality company that comprises two other fine dining restaurants – a.o.c., and Tavern – and four marketplace restaurants – The Larder at Maple Drive, The Larder at Burton Way, The Larder at Tavern and The Larder at Tavern at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX. Along with these culinary enterprises, the company also operates Lucques Catering, the Larder Baking Company and comprehensive food services for the Hollywood Bowl. The Lucques Group is dedicated to seasonally influenced cooking and focuses on sourcing local, organic produce from which Goin creates soulful dishes that are bold in flavor, vibrant, layered and complex.
