The intimate open-air courtyard space showcases Southern California’s seasonal bounty and sets the stage for nuanced plant-based culinary experiences.
Matthew Kenney Cuisine, the integrated lifestyle brand known for providing food connoisseurs with innovative, high-quality culinary, health and wellness products and services, will open its new flagship restaurant, Plant Food and Wine, on Abbot Kinney in Venice, California, in March. The warm, welcoming space proposes an attractive selection of locally sourced fare in a seasonally crafted menu, enriched by an extensive wine list of organic and biodynamic varietals.
The restaurant, designed as a communal gathering place, offers a unique experience around delicious, health-conscious food, in the flowing indoor-outdoor setting distinctive of the space. The 70-seat restaurant, marked by reclaimed wood and exposed beams, evokes friendly backyard dinner parties in sunny Southern California, complete with fire pits and blossoming greenery. A private dining and wine room, located across from the outdoor area permits more intimate gatherings.
Plant Food and Wine, opening in lieu of former restaurant Axe, a longstanding tenant of the community, is committed to maintaining the same high standards of quality and sustainability as its predecessor and remaining a staple for flavorful, healthy cuisine. The concept was handpicked by Joanna Moore, Axe owner, to take over the space, confident that Plant Food and Wine will continue with similar ideals. “Our goal with Plant Food and Wine isn’t to radically alter the expectations that residents have come to embrace,” Founder, Matthew Kenney, says. “We truly view this transition as an evolution; we want to provide the neighborhood with the next progression of a distinctive mentality.”
Matthew Kenney Cuisine’s approach to gastronomy, adopted as crafting the future of food™, has positioned the company as a leader and pioneer in the plant-based dietary movement. In addition to operating multiple successful restaurants, Matthew’s team is at the helm of several internationally recognized on-site culinary schools, an online academy, a line of plant-based products, as well as a collection of cookbooks. Matthew Kenney’s memoir, Cooked Raw: How One Celebrity Chef Risked Everything to Change the Way We Eat, will be available startingJanuary 13, 2015.
Matthew Kenney Cuisine’s approach to gastronomy, adopted as crafting the future of food™, has positioned the company as a leader and pioneer in the plant-based dietary movement.
Open for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch, Plant Food and Wine will offer a cutting-edge approach to plant-based meals with an ever-evolving menu guided by the seasons and locally-sourced ingredients. Chef Scott Winegard, Director of Culinary Operations, who also oversees sister restaurant M.A.K.E. located in The Market at Santa Monica Place, will work primarily with vegetables in addition to seeds, grains, legumes, and house-made cheeses. The flavorful, texture-rich menu will be further enhanced by Winegard’s work with Urban Forager and Farmer Courtney Guerra in the development of an onsite edible garden.
The dinner menu is arranged into Snacks, Small Plates, Large Plates, Cheese, Sides, and Desserts. Discover sharable options such as Chilies prepared grilled, pickled, and cured, served with Macadamia Yogurt and Spearmint; or Farro with tomato, saffron, and fennel seed. Experience innovative starters like Almond Burrata with spicy winter fruit and biscotti, alongside more comforting dishes such as Roasted Cauliflower with concord grape, buckwheat, and tarragon; or Hass Avocado with watermelon radish, sun-dried olives, sprouts, and tahini. Larger plates include Salt-Baked Baby Roots finished with heirloom spelt berries, hazelnut, Meyer lemon, and watercress; Mushroom “Bouillabaisse”
Rounding out the meal, Plant Food and Wine offers a selection of house-made tree nut cheeses served with pickles, mustard seeds, and fennel crackers or sweet offerings such as Aerated Chocolate with cloud ice and cacao-filbert brittle; a Peach Tart with miso mascarpone and lemon balm; or a Carrot Parfait with the flavors of lemongrass, kaffir, and coconut. In addition to a la carte options, Plant Food and Wine offers a Market Inspired Tasting Menu, a multi-course meal inspired by seasonal finds, priced at $65+ per person.
The curated wine program is a perfect companion to Winegard’s ambitious and innovative menu, focusing on organic and biodynamic vineyards with varietals sourced from across the globe. “The mission is above all to support the fantastic plant-based menu,”
Plant Food and Wine will be open Monday through Sunday for lunch and dinner, with brunch offerings on Saturdays and Sundays, including holidays. For more information, visit matthewkenneycuisine.com.