With about 30 years of experience at several kitchens, Chef Daniel Pfeifer-Kotz is bringing his culinary skills to the 7,200-square foot rooftop restaurant Lemon Grove in Hollywood where he has some big knives to live up to.
“We’re going with California, Mediterranean and fresh seasonal ingredients, that’s kind of the direction I’m going for here, and I’m trying to pair in those Latin flavor profiles I grew up with,” said the western Massachusetts native, who just took helm of the kitchen as the new executive chef of the restaurant, which originally opened in 2022 under Chef Marcel Vigneron, from Bravo’s “Top Chef” show.
“I remember seeing him on TV when I was a younger chef. I feel like I’ve taken this in a direction that I think the restaurant should go in. Whatever the past may have been I think it’s time for a little kickstart and I really want to be the person to bring Lemon Grove to new people as well as having our old guests enjoy us too,” Pfeifer-Kotz said.
Chef Daniel Pfeifer-Kotz is bringing his culinary skills to the 7,200-square-foot rooftop restaurant Lemon Grove in Hollywood where he has added several new dishes. (Photo courtesy Lemon Grove)The new executive chef began his career in the kitchen at age 15, moving up the ladder starting as a dishwasher before earning a degree in Culinary Arts at the Culinary Institute of America and later working at places like Cacao in Miami, Florida, and celebrated restaurant Beauty & Essex. He’s been really busy at his new gig putting his own mark on the popular scenic restaurant with nearly a dozen new dishes on the menu.
Some of the highlights include dishes like the Hamachi Crudo, a shareable appetizer plate made with Castelvetrano olives, naval orange and red onion.
“We take this olive puree and use it as a cure. So the Hamachi cures overnight in this olive and citrus mashup that we make,” he said. “You have this subtle flavor of this olive citrus, the salt, all that comes together with the fish,” he added.
Chef Daniel Pfeifer-Kotz is bringing his culinary skills to the 7,200-square-foot rooftop restaurant Lemon Grove in Hollywood where he has added several new dishes. (Photo courtesy Lemon Grove)Another one of the chef’s new dishes is the Roasted Half Chicken. This dish is served atop an herb jus with mushrooms, Brussels sprouts and rainbow carrots. The chicken is brined overnight with French herbs and is then pan-seared before being roasted in the oven.
“You have those layers, with the earthiness from the mushrooms and carrots and that kind of nicer green Brussels sprout, and with the chicken and the demi, you got a beautiful dish,” he said.
He’s also offering new brunch items like the Kimchi Scramble, which mixes eggs and garlic chili oil, sesame, green onion and is served with a grilled sourdough
“I think this highlights quality eggs, we make our own crispy garlic chili oil in house. It has a little bit of heat but lots of depth of flavor,” Pfeifer-Kotz said.
Lemon Grove at The Aster, 1717 Vine St., Los Angeles. For more information go to lemongrovela.com
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