In 2009, chef Casey Lane opened the Tasting Kitchen, an ingredient-driven locavore haven on Abbot Kinney. Food critics called it “a tour de force” and “performance art.” Lane referred to it as his warm-up act. “I always planned on expansion,” explains the 29-year-old El Paso, Texas, native. “New concepts, new food styles and new neighborhoods keep me very motivated.”
This summer found Lane laying the groundwork for a gastro mini-empire. In July he opened the Parish, a bilevel downtown eatery that pairs refined pub grub (pork head potpie, chicken liver mousse with onion rings) with artisanal cocktails by mixologist John Coltharp. A second venture, Itri, in West Hollywood, has a trattoria-inspired menu revolving around handmade pasta and a wood-fired rotisserie.
Lane’s three concepts are markedly different, yet he is quick to note their shared origin. “A handcrafted and heritage-driven pursuit of food is my passion, and that is where we start.”
Photograph by Longrada Lor
