SANTA MONICA CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF MÉLISSE, A GEM OF THE CITY’S CULINARY LANDSCAPE
Michelin Two Star Restaurant Mélisse Celebrates Silver Anniversary in Santa Monica
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (July 11, 2024) – On July 14, acclaimed Santa Monica restaurant Mélisse will celebrate its 25th anniversary, cementing its legacy as an icon of culinary innovation. The Michelin Two Star institution from Chef Josiah Citrin is widely regarded for its thoughtful tasting menu combining fresh California ingredients with French culinary expertise, making an incredible impact on Santa Monica’s renowned culinary landscape.
Chef Josiah Citrin is among Los Angeles’ first Michelin Star Chefs earning the accolade in 2008, and is a pillar of the region’s culinary community establishing Mélisse, Citrin and Augie’s on Main in Santa Monica. Chef Citrin’s work is synonymous with the birth of the Los Angeles region’s innovative culinary scene, kicking off a strong community of visionary restaurateurs across the destination.
“For me, growing up in Santa Monica, my one dream was to have my restaurant in Santa Monica,” said Chef Josiah Citrin. “The way Santa Monica is such a lovely city and has so much to offer has been a perfect match to have fine dining restaurant Mélisse.”
Many top chefs have opened restaurant concepts in Santa Monica, including Chef Bryant Ng’s Cassia, Chef Jeremy Fox’s Birdie G’s, Chef Sean MacDonald’s Bar Monette and beloved Santa Monica Chef Raphael Lunetta’s restaurant, Lunetta. Santa Monica’s thriving dining scene has also made way for many longstanding favorites to serve diners for decades, with Mélisse as the latest in a string of anniversaries this year including Gilbert’s El Indio’s 50th anniversary, Michael’s Santa Monica’s 45th anniversary and Sushi Roku’s 25th anniversary.
“With over 400 restaurants across Santa Monica, 18 of which are now Michelin-recommended, our city is truly a leading culinary destination,” said Misti Kerns, Santa Monica Travel & Tourism President/CEO. “We extend a heartfelt congratulations to Chef Citrin and the Mélisse team, and welcome both visitors and locals to enjoy all of the wonderful dining experiences Santa Monica has to offer.”
Supporting local farmers is of the utmost importance in Santa Monica chefs’ kitchens as well, with Chef Citrin frequenting Santa Monica’s farmers markets alongside many local kitchen teams to select the freshest organic produce to serve diners each week. This practice has become widespread amongst Santa Monica restaurateurs prioritizing sustainability and locally grown produce.
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Emily Ohara
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eohara@santamonica.com
