Party of Five

MARISSA ANSHUTZ HERMER ’99

“Full speed ahead.” That’s how Marissa Anshutz Hermer ’99 characterizes the next phase of her and her husband’s restaurant business. Last year, the couple, newly arrived in Southern California from London, opened a British-inspired restaurant in the Pacific Palisades called The Draycott; plans are now in the works to expand to three other cities in the greater Los Angeles area. The Hermers are also set to launch an entirely new restaurant, Olivetta, in West Hollywood this fall.

In this partnership with her husband, Matt, Hermer handles the “front of the house”—everything the customer sees, from the design of the dining room to marketing and promotions. Hermer began her career in public relations, first in London and then in New York. One of her first jobs was to help renowned hotelier Ian Schrager revamp the Gramercy Park Hotel, famous for its Rose Bar and rooftop restaurant. The opportunity provided an education in hospitality, but Hermer was especially drawn to the workings of the bar and restaurant—and the power that food has to bring people together. “I like creating moments—whether an afternoon tea, a lunch, or an anniversary dinner—where people can come together and celebrate their lives,” she says.

While in New York, Hermer reconnected with Matt, an established nightclub owner and restaurateur whom she had met in London. The couple moved back to London in 2008 and married soon after. Together, they grew the family business, which included the glamorous Eclipse Bars in London, Istanbul, and Barcelona, and a chain of British farm-to-table restaurants called Bumpkin. (Hermer was a cast member of the Bravo reality TV show "Ladies of London," which often filmed at one of the Bumpkin locations.)

Feeling inspired—and desperately missing American food— Hermer opened her own restaurant in 2015, Top Dog, which served gourmet hot dogs, burgers, and shakes. “At the time, I didn’t feel like U.S. comfort food was represented in London,” she says. Although the restaurant was successful, she sold it when her family moved to Los Angeles in 2017.

The blending of two food cultures is a theme in the Hermers’ ventures, and it’s reflected in Marissa’s cookbook, "An American Girl in London: 120 Nourishing Recipes for Your Family from a California Expat." Drawing on her upbringing in Newport Beach, Hermer delivers recipes that promise “homey British favorites with a brighter twist.”

For Hermer, writing the cookbook was an intensely personal experience. While pregnant with her third child (daughter Sadie), she was placed on bed rest and worried that it might affect her relationship with her other children, sons Max and Jake. Hermer explains: “The cookbook saved me. It was a way to keep my mind occupied, while also being able to satisfy my own maternal urges. I was never a big cook before, but I learned how. Cooking helped me feel like a good mom and wife.”

Her kitchen continues to be the heart of her home, now that she’s back in California. But managing a growing restaurant portfolio means spending more time in restaurants, whether her own or other hotspots around town. At the time of this writing, the opening of Olivetta is fast approaching, and the Hermers have just found their chef: Michael Fiorelli, who is tasked with bringing the restaurant’s Mediterranean menu to life. Some foodies have already gotten their first taste, as Fiorelli, under the banner of Olivetta, participated in the culinary charity event L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade, a fundraiser dedicated to fighting childhood cancer. “It’s an honor to be invited, and it means that we’ve made it,” declares Hermer.

Even with the fast and furious pace of expansion, Hermer maintains a friendly and supportive environment for her staff, a lesson she took with her from Santa Catalina. She notes: “At Catalina, we were always supporting one another and cheering on our classmates. Whether it was celebrating our friends’ birthdays and putting their desks up on stage or applauding athletes in Assembly, we always delighted in our friends’ successes. At work, I continue to do this. Building a positive, engaged workplace means supporting each other and acknowledging everyone’s wins. That makes for a strong team.”

The successes are piling up for Hermer. If you find yourself in Los Angeles, stop by one of her restaurants and celebrate together.