ABOUT SUZANNE GOIN

Suzanne Goin was born in Los Angeles to food-obsessed Francophile parents. A graduate of Brown University, Goin’s background includes positions at some of the most acclaimed restaurants in the United States, including Ma Maison, L’Orangerie in Los Angeles, Al Forno in Providence, Chez Panisse in Berkeley, and Arpege in Paris.  Her work as executive chef at Campanile put her on the culinary map in Los Angeles and laid the groundwork for her first restaurant.

In 1998, Goin opened, Lucques in West Hollywood with her business partner Caroline Styne.  The restaurant met with instant success and Suzanne was named one of Food and Wine magazine’s “Best New Chefs” in 1999.   Lucques received praise from Condénast Traveler, Gourmet, Bon Appétit and Saveur, including a prestigious 3 star review by the Los Angeles Times.  A second restaurant, A.O.C., a groundbreaking concept of inspired wines by the glass and small plates menu, opened in 2002 and met with enthusiasm from the public and press.

Goin collaborated on the menu of The Hungry Cat, the casual seafood restaurant opened by her husband, Chef David Lentz, in 2005, and now with three locations.

In 2006, Suzanne was the recipient of two awards from the prestigious James Beard Foundation. The first, for her cookbook, Sunday Suppers at Lucques, published by Alfred A. Knopf in 2005, received the James Beard Foundation award for Best Cookbook from a Professional Viewpoint in 2006. Suzanne’s culinary achievements were recognized with the award for Best Chef California.

She has received five concurrent nominations for Outstanding Chef of the Yearby the James Beard Foundation from 2008 - 2011.  Suzanne and Lucques Catering have been the official caterers for the annual SAG (Screen Actors Guild) Awards for the past three years.  In April 2011, Goin & Styne were honored to prepare a dinner for President Obama, whose fundraising team selected Suzanne and Tavern for this momentous event. 

In 2009, Suzanne and her business partner Caroline Styne opened Tavern in the Brentwood area of the westside of Los Angeles. Tavern serves as a casual neighborhood meeting place, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner including the more casual The Larder at Tavern --a retail market selling all the ingredients from Goin's "larder" or pantry, including many prepared foods to take home. Goin and Styne opened The Larder at Maple Drive, an offshoot of their retail business at Tavern, in fall of 2011.

2013 has been a busy year for Goin and Styne, with stunning growth. A.O.C., which is celebrating its tenth anniversary, moved to a new location in February 2013 with an added cocktail program and new menu. The Larder at Burton Way, their third larder concept is scheduled to open in April 2013 at Rick Caruso's high-end apartment complex on the edge of Beverly HIlls. The Larder at Tavern will also open a branch in the newly renovated Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX, later in the year.

Goin and Styne are among the most respected restaurateurs in California, and continue to receive praise for their food, beverage programs and service from the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, L.A. Weekly, Daily News, Condénast Traveler, Gourmet, Bon Appétit, Saveur, Los Angeles, Angeleno, Zagat and Gayot.com.  They are co-founders, with David Lentz, Goin’s husband and owner of The Hungry Cat, of L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade, their fundraiser benefiting research for childhood cancer which has raised over $1 million since its inception in 2010.  Goin has received four concurrent nominations for Outstanding Chef of the Year from 2008 – 2011 and Styne received a nomination for Outstanding Restaurateur in 2012, both by the James Beard Foundation.  Suzanne and Lucques Catering have been the official caterers for the annual SAG (Screen Actors Guild) Awards for the past four years.  In 2011 and 2012, Goin and Styne were honored to have been selected to prepare fundraising dinners for both President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

Suzanne and David live in Los Angeles with their three children, two cats, one dog and multiple fish.