Chef Brett Hickey makes the Palos Verdes Art Center a destination for food, as well as art
When you’re opening a new restaurant and want to attract a sophisticated clientele, you might tell your designer you want the place to look “artsy.” They’ll know just what you mean and will know where to go to get some knockoffs of modern paintings to give the place the feel of a gallery in which food is being served.
Local diners can visit the genuine article at the Stripe Café, inside the Palos Verdes Art Center. The former artist’s studio has been open since November of last year and boasts a colorful mural by noted New York artist Doug Meyer, which inspired the name. The culinary team is led by executive Chef Brett Hickey, a Long Beach native who was running a gastropub in Colorado when he was called in for an interview by the Center’s director. Hickey was up for the challenge, and had an advantage over any other candidate – he had worked there before.
“I catered events at the Arts Center a year before. The offer was so unique, the place was so interesting, and I had a chance to work with a visionary like (museum director) Joe Baker… I couldn’t say no. We took our time figuring out what we wanted to do, what we wanted to be, and w
hat the area needed, and decided that it was a light, healthy, seasonal menu where as many things as possible were made in house.”
The emphasis on health as well as flavor is logical given Hickey’s degrees in both culinary arts and dietetics. Many chefs who profess a devotion to cooking healthy food don’t have double degrees, but Hickey found both valuable even though the transition from one class to another could be jarring.
“It was like my teachers came from different universes… Some of my dietetic professors actually did have chef’s training, but some of them didn’t cook, didn’t know how to cook. They knew tons about food, but they had completely separate perspectives. The dietetics training did change the way I cook. I find myself asking whether a recipe really needs butter and heavy cream, or how I can make it healthier. I try that, but if it doesn’t taste as good, I’m back to the traditional method. I want people to feel good when they leave, not over-full.”
The meals here aren’t complex – salads, sandwiches, homemade soup, and a short list of specialties – but they’re innovative and elegantly executed. Some chefs in a location like this might be tempted to go a bit overboard with the presentation, but Brett says he keeps the balance in mind.
“When you work in an art center it would almost be an insult to not take into account how you present your meals. That’s in the back of my mind, making all the food visually appealing. I’m not trying to do anything like the French Laundry, though – this isn’t that kind of place.”
From the street you wouldn’t know the café is there, but Stripe is doing well, and not all their customers are patrons of the arts.
“Some people do come here to visit the gallery and then find out there’s a café, but I don’t think it’s a surprise to many of them. It’s hard to be exact, but I’d guess that this café is the destination for about 70 percent of my customers. The people who live here on the Hill seem delighted to try new things, new restaurants… We have some steady regulars that we see every week, and they’ve been telling friends.”
As the café becomes more established Brett hopes to be open at least a few nights every week. In the meantime he’s testing the waters with occasional pop-up dinners.
“We do pop-up dinners every four to six weeks. They’re based on whatever is fresh at the farmer’s market and people are welcome to bring their own wine or beer. The feedback is giving us a good idea of what the market is here. Lunch and dinner are different meals and we need to get a feel for the style of food and service they want. We’ve made bone marrow biscuits, octopus, adventurous ingredients, but I don’t want to get too outlandish. I don’t like to put too much on a plate. I prefer the Mediterranean idea of using fewer than seven ingredients and accent simple flavors.”
At age 25, Brett Hickey has achieved a dream that has eluded many chefs twice his age – creative control of a restaurant and a clientele that enjoys his work.
“It’s fulfilling here. I can do so much and shape this place and I’m learning new things every single day. I’m working with really passionate people, so I plan to be here for quite a while. This art center is almost 80 years old and I want this café to become an integral part of it.”
A conversation with Museum Director Joe Baker shows that he realizes the advantages of having the café in the center and that Brett’s regard for him is mutual.
“I think the café makes this more of a community center. People who come to eat here may pick up a class schedule, visit the artist’s studio, the small pop-up shop and browse art books and related items. If you look at many other arts institutions, cafés are a part of the experience. We want to be a destination where you can see a great exhibit and have a great meal. It seems like a perfect fit. We needed to find a chef who knows food and celebrates fresh ingredients and we found Brett.”
The new café in the well-established art center is a sign of a dynamic institution. It will be interesting to see how Hickey’s and Baker’s visions evolve in coming years. Stripe is a work in progress and it’s always a treat to watch artists in the process of creation.
Stripe Café is in the Palos Verdes Art Center at 5504 West Crestridge Road, corner of Crenshaw. The next pop-up dinner is scheduled on October 8th at 6 PM – cost is $50.00 for three courses. For reservations or further information, call 310-541-2479.
