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Los Angeles Celebrity Chef Restaurants: Dining with Gordon Ramsay, Mario Batali and Joachim Splichal – Well Worth the Money!

Los Angeles Celebrity Chef Restaurants: Dining with Gordon Ramsay, Mario Batali and Joachim Splichal - Well Worth the Money!

As a hub for restaurants and celebrities, Los Angeles is a fine destination for travelers who wish to experience a fusion of the aforementioned elements. Cable television giants such as the Food Network and the Cooking Channel have given us every reason to despise our frozen dinners as we salivate at what’s on screen. I myself have spent countless nights admiring the Iron Chef Stadium and vicariously tasting Giada’s cooking with wishful thoughts of smell-o-vision.

Lucky for me, I live just outside the city of fame and food. Every now and then, when my cravings really take hold of me, I cruise into LA for a bite. On rare occasions, my visits are to restaurants owned by the celebrity chefs I see cooking on TV. While the chefs’ visits to these restaurants are few and far between, it is always interesting to taste the menus they’ve developed and really see what all the fuss is about.

Before a Lakers game one evening, I had my first visit to Pizzeria Mozza. Pizzeria Mozza is owned by none other than my favorite iron chef Mario Batali. Oh how I love the way he prances around in his brightly-colored Crocs and effortlessly creates the most impeccable Italian dishes. At this upscale pizzeria, I had an excellent meatballs al forno appetizer with tender ground beef and a sweet and zesty marinara sauce. There are many fine pizzas to choose from for the main. The fennel sausage with panna, red onion, and scallions is a popular choice and is full of flavor. As for dessert at Pizzeria Mozza, it would be a sin to skip this. I’ve been back to this pizzeria several times and I have yet to pass on the butterscotch budino: a smooth and creamy butterscotch pudding with a sprinkle of sea salt, topped with crème fraiche and served with rosemary cookies. Since my first experience at Pizzeria Mozza, Batali has opened a location that’s closer to home in Newport Beach. No complaints here.

Los Angeles Celebrity Chef Restaurants: Dining with Gordon Ramsay, Mario Batali and Joachim Splichal - Well Worth the Money!Los Angeles Celebrity Chef Restaurants: Dining with Gordon Ramsay, Mario Batali and Joachim Splichal - Well Worth the Money!

For my second celebrity chef dining experience, I paid a visit to the Walt Disney Concert Hall. What does a concert hall have to do with eating out? The answer is Patina. Patina is a new-age French restaurant located inside the Walt Disney Concert Hall and owned by Joachim Splichal. Splichal has been featured on the Food Network and won several awards and accolades for his work which include Restaurateur of the Year and Best California Chef. If you’re a local, you’ve likely heard about Splichal and Patina through the foodie pipelines quite often. During the bi-yearly DineLA Restaurant Week, I came to Patina with some friends for the prixe fixe menu. Between the three of us, we had fourteen courses (that is not a typo). Some standouts included the multi-colored tomato salad with creamy burrata, the white corn agnolotti with bacon and arugula, and the calamari farci with salsa verde. Throughout our meal, the service was extraordinary as the staff consistently demonstrated their knowledge of the menu, attentiveness, and professionalism.

Los Angeles Celebrity Chef Restaurants: Dining with Gordon Ramsay, Mario Batali and Joachim Splichal - Well Worth the Money!Los Angeles Celebrity Chef Restaurants: Dining with Gordon Ramsay, Mario Batali and Joachim Splichal - Well Worth the Money!

My most recent encounter with a celebrity chef restaurant was one that is owned by a chef you may love or hate. Think loud, British accent, and lots of hand slapping. If you guessed Gordon Ramsay, you are correct. Personally, I can’t get enough of Ramsay’s tough love demeanor on Hell’s Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares. His straightforward attitude about food quality and taste had me yearning to see if his restaurant practices what he preaches. Upon entering Gordon Ramsay at The London Hotel, it is evident why it once held a Michelin star. Pronounced by classy and modern décor, this restaurant offers a sophisticated yet comfortable dining experience. For appetizers, the charred Spanish octopus with black pepper sauce is flavorful and perfectly cooked, while the pork belly over asparagus risotto just melts in your mouth. Steak lovers can rejoice over Ramsay’s acclaimed roasted beef wellington—perfectly cooked, tender beef wrapped in a puff pastry. The sticky toffee pudding offers a nice end to the meal with a gorgeous brown butter ice cream to balance out the sweetness of the warm and moist pudding.

Los Angeles Celebrity Chef Restaurants: Dining with Gordon Ramsay, Mario Batali and Joachim Splichal - Well Worth the Money!Los Angeles Celebrity Chef Restaurants: Dining with Gordon Ramsay, Mario Batali and Joachim Splichal - Well Worth the Money!

Los Angeles Celebrity Chef Restaurants: Dining with Gordon Ramsay, Mario Batali and Joachim Splichal - Well Worth the Money!Los Angeles Celebrity Chef Restaurants: Dining with Gordon Ramsay, Mario Batali and Joachim Splichal - Well Worth the Money!

While a meal at restaurants owned by celebrity chefs don’t come cheap, the experience is well worth the price tag. You are paying not only for the high quality food but also for the delightful ambiance, flawless service, and innovative concepts brought to life by famed chefs. Add one of the above restaurants to your LA itinerary and you will be glad you did.