In the heart of Los Angeles, a beacon of luxury and culinary excellence, Hotel Bel-Air, prepares to enter a new era of gastronomic delight under the visionary leadership of culinary director Joe Garcia. With a stellar background in Michelin-starred cuisine and a profound commitment to local ingredients, Chef Garcia is poised to elevate the dining experience at the hotel’s esteemed culinary venues: The Restaurant, and the upcoming culinary concepts, ‘The Living Room’ and Patisserie, set to debut in June 2024.
Chef Garcia brings over two decades of culinary innovation and luxury hospitality expertise to his role. His illustrious career includes stints as the executive chef at Manzke Restaurant, where he earned Michelin stars in 2022 and 2023, and as a Sous Chef at The French Laundry, working alongside culinary luminary Thomas Keller. With global culinary experience spanning renowned establishments from Beverly Hills to Burgundy, Chef Garcia’s culinary journey is marked by excellence and a deep understanding of diverse culinary traditions.
At The Restaurant, guests can anticipate a fusion of modern California cuisine with Mediterranean influences, showcasing bold flavors and locally sourced ingredients at the peak of their season. Executive sous chef Gel Zara, working in tandem with Chef Garcia, will orchestrate a symphony of flavors, offering diners dishes that exude technique and finesse in a welcoming and unpretentious atmosphere.
The menu will feature reinvented comforting classics alongside signature dishes such as the crispy skin Loup de Mer, Bluefin Tuna Crudo, and Colorado Lamb Chops, all meticulously crafted to tantalize the palate. Reservations for this culinary journey can be made directly through Seven Rooms, promising an unforgettable dining experience.
The Living Room, a new addition to Hotel Bel-Air’s culinary landscape, will redefine the quintessential Lobby Lounge experience. Designed by Champalimaud Design, the space will evoke the estate’s natural beauty, with bespoke wall coverings featuring hummingbirds, jasmine, ferns, and citrus blossoms. Guests can indulge in small plates, caviar service, and artisanal cocktails amidst the ambiance of a glowing fireplace, Wednesday through Sunday from 3 – 10 pm, with Afternoon Tea available on select days.
For pastry enthusiasts, the eagerly anticipated Patisserie, led by pastry chef Christophe Rull, promises a French-inspired culinary haven. With a focus on simplicity and elegance, Chef Rull’s creations will showcase seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, celebrating the best of California’s produce. The Patisserie will offer a daily selection of freshly baked pastries, breads, and cakes, complemented by specialty coffees and teas, in a setting reminiscent of a nostalgic European boulangerie.
General Manager Christoph Moje expresses excitement for Chef Garcia’s appointment, anticipating a new chapter in Hotel Bel-Air’s culinary evolution. With Chef Garcia at the helm, the hotel’s dining experiences are poised to exceed expectations, promising guests a journey of culinary excellence and unparalleled luxury.
The Recipe by Joe Garcia
Ora King Salmon from New Zealand is my favorite salmon to use because of its consistent marbling and texture. It has a beautiful bright orange color and a clean salmon flavor that is delicate, yet flavorful.
The technique I like to use to cook this fish is that of a gentle pan sear/roast such that the fish almost confits in an oven gently without forming too much of a crust as you would with a high temperature sear. It lends a very delicate and elegant mouth feel which works well with the dish.
For the salmon, for 2 people:
- 2 each, 6 oz skinless filet of Ora King Salmon
For the sauce:
- 250 g fresh carrot juice (pulp-free)
- 250 g fresh orange juice (pulp-free)
- 75 g high quality butter (cut into small cubes)
- 15 g Sherry vinegar
- To taste: yuzu/lime juice
- 35 g smoked trout roe
For the spinach:
- 20 g clarified butter
- 500 g baby spinach leaves
Start this dish by making your reduction as it will take the most amount of time. In a sauce pot, combine the orange and carrot juice and reduce rapidly by 2/3 (caution to not use a sauce pot that is too small if you are utilizing an open flame stove, as the fire coming up the sides of the pot will inevitably caramelize and eventually burn the juice on the sides of the pot as it reduces). Once the sauce has been reduced, utilizing a whisk, slowly begin adding your butter to create an emulsion. It is important that the butter is emulsified slowly to ensure that the sauce doesn’t “break” and remains a tight emulsion. Once all of the butter has been incorporated, season with Sherry vinegar, yuzu or lime juice and salt to taste. Set aside in a warm place until ready to use, ideally with a lid/plastic wrap to cover the vessel.
For the spinach: melt the clarified butter in a pan and bring to a medium temperature. Add the spinach and quickly toss to wilt quickly. You are looking to just wilt the spinach. Once the spinach has wilted, place onto a drain pan/colander and allow to come to room temperature. Once the spinach is cool enough to touch, gently wring through a clean kitchen towel to remove excess water from the spinach (this is an important step that will ensure the finished dish and sauce doesn’t become diluted with the water of the spinach). Place the spinach onto a cutting board and put a sharp knife through the spinach to cut into smaller pieces. Reserve until ready to use.
For the salmon: ensure that the salmon is as dry as possible by patting dry with a paper towel. Season evenly with salt. Add cooking oil to your pan (enough to barely cover the bottom of the pan) and bring up to a medium heat – caution not to get the pan too hot as we’re going for a gentle cook. Add the salmon to the pan and gently baste some of the hot oil over the top of the fish a couple of times with a spoon. Place the pan in a 350F oven and allow to gently cook untouched. Time will vary depending on your oven, but check after about 3 minutes and baste again. Place back in the oven for another 3 minutes, or until desired cook temperature has been reached.
I recommend cooking the fish to medium, where the texture of the fish is just starting to set in the center, but is still super juicy.
This is the point at which you need to gently reheat your spinach and get ready to serve. Add a small amount of clarified butter to a pan and reheat the spinach. Verify the seasoning and place in the center or a hot bowl.
Add the smoked trout roe to the warm sauce and spoon around the spinach in the bowl.
Once your preferred temperature on the fish has been reached, remove the pan from the oven and place the salmon on a paper towel to dab and remove all excess fat. Place on top of the spinach and serve to your guest(s) or enjoy yourself for a quick and easy meal.
For the salmon, for 2 people:
- 2 each, 6 oz skinless filet of Ora King Salmon
For the sauce:
- 250 g fresh carrot juice (pulp-free)
- 250 g fresh orange juice (pulp-free)
- 75 g high quality butter (cut into small cubes)
- 15 g Sherry vinegar
- To taste: yuzu/lime juice
- 35 g smoked trout roe
For the spinach:
- 20 g clarified butter
- 500 g baby spinach leaves
Start this dish by making your reduction as it will take the most amount of time. In a sauce pot, combine the orange and carrot juice and reduce rapidly by 2/3 (caution to not use a sauce pot that is too small if you are utilizing an open flame stove, as the fire coming up the sides of the pot will inevitably caramelize and eventually burn the juice on the sides of the pot as it reduces). Once the sauce has been reduced, utilizing a whisk, slowly begin adding your butter to create an emulsion. It is important that the butter is emulsified slowly to ensure that the sauce doesn’t “break” and remains a tight emulsion. Once all of the butter has been incorporated, season with Sherry vinegar, yuzu or lime juice and salt to taste. Set aside in a warm place until ready to use, ideally with a lid/plastic wrap to cover the vessel.
For the spinach: melt the clarified butter in a pan and bring to a medium temperature. Add the spinach and quickly toss to wilt quickly. You are looking to just wilt the spinach. Once the spinach has wilted, place onto a drain pan/colander and allow to come to room temperature. Once the spinach is cool enough to touch, gently wring through a clean kitchen towel to remove excess water from the spinach (this is an important step that will ensure the finished dish and sauce doesn’t become diluted with the water of the spinach). Place the spinach onto a cutting board and put a sharp knife through the spinach to cut into smaller pieces. Reserve until ready to use.
For the salmon: ensure that the salmon is as dry as possible by patting dry with a paper towel. Season evenly with salt. Add cooking oil to your pan (enough to barely cover the bottom of the pan) and bring up to a medium heat – caution not to get the pan too hot as we’re going for a gentle cook. Add the salmon to the pan and gently baste some of the hot oil over the top of the fish a couple of times with a spoon. Place the pan in a 350F oven and allow to gently cook untouched. Time will vary depending on your oven, but check after about 3 minutes and baste again. Place back in the oven for another 3 minutes, or until desired cook temperature has been reached.
I recommend cooking the fish to medium, where the texture of the fish is just starting to set in the center, but is still super juicy.
This is the point at which you need to gently reheat your spinach and get ready to serve. Add a small amount of clarified butter to a pan and reheat the spinach. Verify the seasoning and place in the center or a hot bowl.
Add the smoked trout roe to the warm sauce and spoon around the spinach in the bowl.
Once your preferred temperature on the fish has been reached, remove the pan from the oven and place the salmon on a paper towel to dab and remove all excess fat. Place on top of the spinach and serve to your guest(s) or enjoy yourself for a quick and easy meal.
Hotel Bel-Air
dorchestercollection.com/hotel-bel-air
701 Stone Canyon Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90077, United States
