Josiah Citrin

It comes to the table with its own parade, borne on a wooden cart accompanied by two waiters and trailed by the chef, who looks on proudly. Nestled on a porcelain platter, the bird is golden brown and glistening, surrounded by perfect tiny vegetables shining in a buttery glaze. You can see the rest of the dining room patrons spinning in their seats to get a better look. They speculate in a low murmur: What can it be? A partridge? A wild grouse?

As I approach the entrance to the new Santa Monica restaurant Cache, I catch a glimpse of a tousle-haired man in a white apron disappearing around a corner. Yes, indeed, Mr. Citrin is in the house and running around like crazy, looking excited and pleased that this new casual-French California restaurant is finally open -- and filled with people. It's a beautiful night, and guests are sprawled on sofas in the outdoor lounge area and trooping in for reservations in the dining room.

In this week's Sunday Magazine, a powerful chili. And a review of a French restaurant opened by chef Josiah Citrin, formerly of Jackson's and JiRaffe.

It comes to the table with its own parade, borne on a wooden cart accompanied by two waiters and trailed by the chef, who looks on proudly. Nestled on a porcelain platter, the bird is golden brown and glistening, surrounded by perfect tiny vegetables shining in a buttery glaze. You can see the rest of the dining room patrons spinning in their seats to get a better look. They speculate in a low murmur: What can it be? A partridge? A wild grouse?

As I approach the entrance to the new Santa Monica restaurant Cache, I catch a glimpse of a tousle-haired man in a white apron disappearing around a corner. Yes, indeed, Mr. Citrin is in the house and running around like crazy, looking excited and pleased that this new casual-French California restaurant is finally open -- and filled with people. It's a beautiful night, and guests are sprawled on sofas in the outdoor lounge area and trooping in for reservations in the dining room.

One of the most appealing things about open kitchens — and the trend of letting the rest of us see into the inner machinery, the smoke and clash and vaguely militaristic operation of a restaurant — is the occasional flare and whoosh of fire. We are, most of us, secret pyromaniacs. Watching a chef flambé something (a crepe, steak Diane, an apron) maintains the willing suspension of disbelief that professional cooking is, after all, a beautiful and possibly dangerous high-wire circus act and not just dinner.

THE restaurant world's most famous little red book -- the Michelin Guide -- will be coming to Southern California this fall. In fact, inspectors are already hard at work here, touring the area's best restaurants and filling out score sheets. In addition to the Southern California guide, Michelin will also be introducing a separate guide for Las Vegas this October as well as one for Tokyo that was announced two weeks ago. These books continue Michelin's push into international publishing.

Cole Dickinson, the chef de cuisine at Michael Voltaggio's soon-to-open West Hollywood restaurant, Ink, got his culinary education the old-fashioned way: in the kitchen. That might sound obvious, but it makes him something of an anomaly as the number of culinary schools multiplies, drawing legions of novice cooks with the promise of turning them into top chefs. Yet the less-touted, less-glamorized path of working one's way up through the restaurant kitchen ranks is starting to sound more appealing.

Online: See a companion video to today's carving story by Russ Parsons featuring Melisse chef Josiah Citrin, right, who demonstrates how to carve a turkey. Also, last week's Part I of the Essential Thanksgiving is still available online, with a new brine-free method for roasting turkey and master recipes for stuffing, gravy, mashed and sweet potatoes, cranberry relish, and apple and pumpkin pie, along with how to personalize each dish.

Nyesha Arrington, a fan favorite from the 2011 season of Bravo's "Top Chef," is the executive chef at Wilshire in Santa Monica , a position she won on Food Network 's "Chef Hunter" competition. In 2012, Zagat.com named Arrington one of the "30 Under 30 - L.A.'s Hottest Up-And-Comers. " A Southern California native, Arrington graduated from the Art Institute of Los Angeles cooking school and worked her way up the line under Josiah Citrin at Lemon Moon and Melisse. She's also worked for legendary French chef Joel Robuchon at his Las Vegas restaurants.

In this week's Sunday Magazine, a powerful chili. And a review of a French restaurant opened by chef Josiah Citrin, formerly of Jackson's and JiRaffe.

When rumors first surfaced about a rustic lodge-style restaurant on the outskirts of Beverly Hills, we were suspicious. It's true that Hollywood types like to roam around in jeans and Range Rovers, but their eating habitats, especially close to home, are most often white-walled sorts of places, the better to show off big art and big-name stars.

If you made a bucket list of the most luxurious hotels and spas to visit in Southern California , the five-star winners of the 2013 Forbes Travel Awards (formerly Mobil) would be a good place to start. The awards for outstanding service and excellence announced Monday this year gave Montage Laguna Beach , its restaurant Studio and its Spa Montage five-star status in an across-the-board sweep. The Craftsman-style hotel with 248 rooms sits on 30 acres atop a bluff overlooking the ocean.