D E S T I N AT I O N I N T E R V I E W by Calum Donoghue
Eating Local in Beverly hills Beverly Hills has long been recognised as a renowned culinary destination and home of the ‘celebrity chef’ with Wolfgang Puck, Curtis Stone and Thomas Keller. 2016 is set to elevate Beverly Hills’ credentials even further with the opening of three new dining establishments throughout the year; Avec Nous at Viceroy L’Ermitage Beverly Hills; The Belvedere at The Peninsula Beverly Hills; and Georgie and The Garden Bar at Montage Beverly Hills, partnering with star of the Food Network, Geoffrey Zakarian. At the start of the year, the city launched a global luxury trend report, The Future of Luxury, which has determined many key food trends. This includes the rise of the ‘Localtarian’ - a sustainable lifestyle choice where conscious customers only eat local. Restaurants within Beverly Hills, such as The Belvedere and Maude, are leading the trend to cater to the influx of those seeking a menu made only of locally sourced seasonal ingredients. As the city embraces the ever changing food scene, we chat to the Chefs at the helm of these two restaurants… 22
David
Codney Executive Chef at The Peninsula Beverly Hills
I
was fortunate to learn in the early stages of my career as a chef that you should never give up and you can do anything if you have passion and drive. I started fresh out of high school at a restaurant in Cleveland. Straight away I understood the importance of knowing the detail of the ingredients, and at that restaurant the emphasis was on cheese so I learned the art of ripening, composing cheese plates as well as seasonality. Learning those details is what fills me with passion and provides a thrill each time I step into the kitchen. The diversity of the ingredients is fascinating to me and that’s why I, where possible, try to grow my own. We are growing as much as we can at The Peninsula, from lemon trees and kumquats to basil and blackberries, and anything else that we can put in our planter beds. I love that we grow food and produce here on the premises and make the most of the California sunshine - I feel that we should expand this principle into all public places throughout Beverly Hills. Working in a hotel kitchen is an experience like no other, because every single day is different. The guests staying at
