EPISODE 3 Mark Bittman vs. Suzanne Goin, Lucques and A.O.C.

As Bittman says, Suzanne is "LA's hottest chef, in more ways than one." Goin is a Los Angeles native, educated at Brown, who trained in France and Providence, Rhode Island, and is one of the most sophisticated chefs ever to cook in southern California. At first, Bittman was worried that her blend of chic and rustic would prove too easy for him to compete against, but Goin assembled a stuffed chicken leg that clearly had him worried; he responded nicely, however with a rolled stuffed breast.

In one of the loveliest scenes in the series, taped at Goin's house in the Hollywood Hills, Suzanne prepared a confit and grilled pork that sent our man scurrying to the stove, where he braised pork in beer and later grilled it. Her response: "You steal good."


MEET THE CHEF Suzanne Goin

Suzanne Goin

Suzanne Goin began her culinary career in 1984 when she interned in the pastry kitchen of the legendary restaurant MA MAISON as a high school senior. Leaving her native Los Angeles for Brown University late that year, she discovered the award-winning restaurant AL FORNO (chefs George German and Johanne Killeen) and began her career in earnest. Along the way to graduating with honors in history from Brown, Suzanne worked at Los Angeles' top rated L'ORANGERIE over the summer and at the Roux brothers LE MAZARIN in London while studying at the London School of Economics.

In 1990 Suzanne headed back to California to work at Alice Water's famed restaurant CHEZ PANISSE in Berkeley. Suzanne was chosen twice to travel with chef Peggy Smith to Bordeaux to cook at VINEXPO as a representative of California and CHEZ PANISSE. After two years at CHEZ PANISSE, Suzanne followed her dream of working in France first at Didier Oudill's two-star restaurant PAIN, ADOUR ET FANTASIE , then with Alain Passard at his three-starred ARPEGE in Paris and finally at the fourth arrondissement's favored PATISSERIE CHRISTIAN POTTIER.

Upon returning to the United States, Suzanne was hired by Todd English as sous-chef of his tremendously popular OLIVES in Boston. Excited for the chance at a chef position, Suzanne left OLIVES to become the chef at ALLORO, also in Boston. The restaurant was almost instantly popular and Suzanne was named "Best Creative Chef" by Boston magazine in August 1994.

Suzanne returned to Los Angeles in 1995 and spent two years at Mark Peel and Nancy Silverton's celebrated restaurant CAMPANILE first as sous-chef and finally taking over the role of executive chef.

In September 1998, Suzanne opened LUCQUES restaurant in West Hollywood with partner Caroline Styne. By working closely with local farmers, Suzanne has come close to achieving her goal using only local and organic produce, as well as wild fish and naturally raised meats in her own brand of Mediterranean cooking.

In July 1999 she was named one of Food and Wine magazine's "best new chefs of 1999." That same year Condénast Traveler included Lucques in its annual list of "50 hot tables-the world's most exciting restaurants." Gourmet magazine named LUCQUES one of the top six restaurants in Los Angeles in their October 2000 restaurant issue and ranked Lucques 45 in the nation in October 2001 calling Suzanne "LA's brightest new light" adding "everything she puts her hand to has a seductive richness and roundness, the mark of raw talent and rigorous training." Bon Appétit named LUCQUES on their list of favorite restaurants in September 2000 and Saveur magazine named LUCQUES number 8 on their list of 100 favorite things in January 2000 writing that "the food at Lucques announces its presence at the table with its deep, rich perfume, and one small taste stops conversation in its tracks." In May 2002 S. Irene Virbilla of the Los Angeles Times awarded Lucques 3 stars.

Suzanne and her business partner Caroline Styne opened their second restaurant, A.O.C. in the December 2002. Named for the French system for maintaining the quality of wines, cheeses and other artisanal products, A.O.C. is a full-service restaurant with the heart of a wine bar. A.O.C. features a large selection of cheeses, house-made charcuterie and 50 wines by the glass. The rest of the menu is served "small plates" style meant for sharing. S. Irene Virbilla gave A.O.C. 3 stars and the restaurant received rave reviews and coverage in Los Angeles M agazine, The New York Times, O Magazine, Food and Wine, Bon Appetit and The Wine Spectator.

Suzanne was nominated for a prestigious James Beard award in 2003. She was also featured in the New York Times "the chef" section of the food section and was on the cover of Wine and Spirits magazine in April 2003. She is currently writing a book, Sunday Suppers from Lucques, with writer Teri Gelber.