LAVO Ristorante in Los Angeles, part of the sprawling Tao Group of nightclubs and restaurants, has changed its kitchen leadership. Opened to fanfare in West Hollywood last year, the elegant coastal Italian restaurant now has Luca Maita at the helm as executive chef. A native of Catania in Sicily whose grandfather was a fisherman and who grew up in a family with a seafood business, Maita brings expertise and experience.
He started his career cooking in Sicily and then in London and Australia, before landing in the Los Angeles area in 2016. More recently, he led the kitchens at highly rated Italian restaurants 1212 in Santa Monica and Nonna in Westlake Village, before joining Lavo in West Hollywood.
At LAVO Ristorante, he’s tasked with overseeing a menu that goes deep into seafood while covering many popular Italian dishes, as well as representing a dynamic, growing brand with locations in Manhattan, Las Vegas, and San Diego, as well as the new LAVO London. There’s a Mexico City LAVO in the works for 2024 as well.
Angelenos will have a chance to experience a special LAVO menu for DINE LA, running October 6-20, with prix-fixe brunch at $35 [pdf] and dinner at $65 per person [pdf].
Check out more images from LAVO Ristorante in Los Angeles below.