On the heels of its one-year anniversary, Somni receives two Michelin stars upon the Michelin Guide’s return to Los Angeles after a decade. Led by ThinkFoodGroup’s West Coast Creative Director Aitor Zabala with Chef José Andrés and the TFG creative team, ThinkFoodTank, the fine dining concept opened in March 2018 with national acclaim. Its multisensory tasting menu, 10-seat chef’s counter and exhibition-style kitchen, and singular service model removes the boundary between chef and server. Within the SLS Hotel, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Beverly Hills Somni is joined by Tres and The Bazaar by José Andrés.
“It is a big honor for us to receive this accolade from Michelin after only being open for 15 months,” says Chef Zabala. “It’s a celebration not only for Somni but also for Los Angeles, the state of California and all of the diversity we have here. LA is known for its diverse culture, art and design; our food scene also deserves to be recognized on a global scale and Michelin is certainly going to help do that. For us, it’s a great recognition of the team’s hard work and more responsibility to continue doing what we’ve been doing up until now.”
“It’s so great that Michelin has decided to come back to Los Angeles, a city with so much exciting food. Thank you, Michelin, for recognizing Somni with two stars!” says Chef José Andrés.
At Somni, Chef Zabala applies an unconventional approach to fine dining, demonstrated by the 10-seat chef’s counter that challenges the notion of a dining room, as well as the crossover between cook and server. Each chef prepares and presents 20+ courses with rhythm and precision, while caring for all guests’ needs. A variety of cooking techniques, both from the perspective of science and artistry, allow a modern approach to global culinary traditions and simple dishes from Chef Zabala’s childhood in Spain.
Three categories of wine pairings scale from unique finds to iconic bottles from library releases and private collections. Notable too is the non-alcoholic Illusion pairing pressed from local grapes and infused with herbs, spices, and fruits.
“Over the last 10 years, we’ve built a reputation for the SLS Beverly Hills as a culinary destination through longstanding concepts such as The Bazaar and most recently, our Michelin star recipient Somni,” shares SLS Beverly Hills’s General Manger Christophe Thomas. “The focus on design, F&B, and genuine sense of service makes SLS Beverly Hills the perfect destination for local and visiting food enthusiasts. Hopefully, the return of the Michelin Guide will only further strengthen that perception and help us share that exceptional culinary experience now that the spotlight is on LA.”
Tickets for Somni are released at 10am PST on the first Monday of the month for the following month on Tock; chef’s counter seating is priced at $265 per guest with wine pairings beginning at an additional $175 per guest. The Somni Experience provides exclusive advance access to seating and overnight accommodations at the SLS Beverly Hills.
For more information, visit exploretock.com/somni, call 310.246.5553, or follow on social media: @slsbeverlyhills and @somnirestaurant.
ABOUT SLS HOTEL, A LUXURY COLLECTION HOTEL, BEVERLY HILLS
After making a critically acclaimed splash with its 2008 debut, thanks to excellence in hospitality, cuisine, and design, the SLS Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Beverly Hills continues to define modern luxury at the crossroads of Beverly Hills and Los Angeles. Following a multimillion-dollar room renovation (debuting Summer 2018) and with robust dining options from multiple José Andrés restaurants including The Bazaar, Tres, and Somni, as well as in-room dining and the Altitude sixth-story rooftop pool deck, the refreshed hotel welcomes guests to rediscover its iconoclast style and imaginative culinary program. Additionally, Ciel Spa by Pearl offers a full suite of wellness and salon services and 30,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor function spaces include a ballroom, conference rooms, and Garden Room & Terrace with retractable skylight roof. The newly reimagined rooms and culinary updates help celebrate this Luxury Collection property’s 10-year anniversary in November 2018. Visit www.slsbeverlyhillshotel.com for more information.
ABOUT THE LUXURY COLLECTION
The Luxury Collection®, part of Marriott International, Inc., is comprised of world-renowned hotels and resorts offering unique, authentic experiences that evoke lasting, treasured memories. For the global explorer, The Luxury Collection offers a gateway to the world’s most exciting and desirable destinations. Each hotel and resort is a defined and cherished expression of its location; a portal to the destination’s indigenous charms and treasures. Originated in 1906 under the CIGA® brand as a collection of Europe’s most celebrated and iconic properties, today The Luxury Collection brand is a glittering ensemble, recently surpassing 100 of the world’s finest hotels and resorts in more than 30 countries and territories. All of these hotels, many of them centuries old, are internationally recognized as being among the globe’s best. The Luxury Collection is proud to participate in the industry’s award-winning loyalty program, Starwood Preferred Guest®. Members can now link accounts with Marriott Rewards®, which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® at www.members.marriott.com for instant elite status matching and unlimited points transfer. For more information and new openings, visit www.theluxurycollection.com.
ABOUT AITOR ZABALA
As the former head chef of SAAM at The Bazaar by José Andrés in Beverly Hills, Aitor Lozano Zabala oversaw the weekly rotating 20-plus course tasting menu that highlighted avant-garde techniques and a dedication to Andrés’ playful spirit and cooking. Since joining the ThinkFoodGroup team in 2010, Zabala has spearheaded numerous anticipated openings as the restaurant group’s Creative Director — including Jaleo, é, and China Poblano in Vegas, as well as The Bazaar in Beverly Hills and Bazaar Meat in Las Vegas — and has assisted Andrés in planning the curriculum for the chef’s ‘Science & Cooking’ course at Harvard University. Prior to working with Andrés, Zabala began his career as a cook at his mother’s Basque restaurant for many years, before moving on to play an instrumental role at several Michelin-star restaurants in Spain, including El Bulli, Alkimia, Abac and Akelarre.
ABOUT JOSÉ ANDRÉS
Twice named one of Time’s “100 Most Influential People” and awarded “Outstanding Chef” and “Humanitarian of the Year” by the James Beard Foundation and the World’s 50 Best Restaurants American Express Icon Award, José Andrés is an internationally recognized culinary innovator, New York Times bestselling author, educator, television personality, humanitarian, and chef and owner of ThinkFoodGroup. A pioneer of Spanish tapas in the United States, he is known for his avant-garde cuisine and his award-winning group of more than 30 restaurants. His innovative concept minibar by José Andrés earned two Michelin stars in 2016 and 2017 making him the only chef globally that has two two-star Michelin restaurant and four Bib Gourmands. In 2010, Andrés formed World Central Kitchen, a non-profit that provides smart solutions to end hunger and poverty by using the power of food to empower communities and strengthen economies.
