Food and art meet at the precocious 24-year-old’s French-inspired restaurant
While a student at USC’s business school, Fardad Khayami built a following when he launched Museum. The underground restaurant featuring rotating cuisines and gallery installations served 3,000 students — while accruing a 6,000-person waitlist.
Just as coveted is the 24-year-old chef-owner’s debut restaurant Muse, a contemporary French bistro he opened last summer on Santa Monica’s West Channel Road.
Designed by Marc Ange, the creative destination for cutting-edge food and art houses a rotating display of artwork — from a debut exhibition by Joan Miró to current curations from Willem De Kooning. Ange created an intimate yet sultry jewel box with neutral tones and mammoth chandeliers. Read more about Muse’s design here.
All photos courtesy of MuseCredit: All photos courtesy of Muse
Designed by Marc Ange, the creative destination for cutting-edge food and art houses a rotating display of artwork — from a debut exhibition by Joan Miró to current curations from Willem de Kooning. Ange created an intimate yet sultry jewel box with neutral tones and mammoth chandeliers. Read more about Muse’s design here.
An à la carte menu divided into four courses spotlights fresh, local produce in French-leaning dishes like veal bonbons, tomato tart and rack of lamb à la Provençal. Khayami also draws from from his multicultural experiences as an Iranian chef, raised in London.
Standouts include the brioche, pesto pasta and vanilla st honore dessert — dishes Khayami even serves himself in an intimate dining experience akin to visiting his home.
Here, the Muse chef recalls the most inspiring dishes he’s eaten in L.A.
Seasonal Vegetables
RVR
“The temptation begins at the market when I see chef Travis Lett — like us, he carefully selects only the finest produce for his restaurant. After our service ends, I often can’t resist RVR, which stays open late. On a recent visit, I indulged in tempura yellow beans, beautifully peeled tomatoes and a mixed rice with shiitake mushrooms and Jimmy Nardello peppers.”
Prices vary, 1305 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, rvr.la
Koobideh Sandwich
Attari Sandwich Shop
“The crisp bread gives way to juicy koobideh, then comes the crunch of a Persian pickle. Just when I think I’ve tasted it all, I’m swept away by the smell of fresh basil packed inside. This sandwich is more than a meal — it’s a reminder of the moments I live for. Attari has a special place in my heart and similarly with the vast Persian community in Westwood.”
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$17.99, 1388 Westwood Blvd., Westwood, attarisandwiches.com
Risotto Camouflaged as Pizza
Gucci Osteria
“Earlier this year, chef Mattia Agazzi joined us in feeding firefighters during the Palisades fires. Beyond his generosity, he continues to inspire me as a chef, host and man. His playful yet refined signature dish — a risotto ‘disguised’ as a pizza — strikes the perfect balance of umami, sweetness, acidity and richness. It’s cooking with love made visible, and it reflects the joy he brings to his kitchen.”
$48, 427 N. Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, gucciosteria.com