I n the 1970s, California became the birthplace of a quiet culinary revolution. A new wave of chefs, led by figures like Alice Waters and Jeremiah Tower, rejected the rigidity of French haute cuisine in favour of hyper-seasonal produce, unfussy technique, and a distinct sense of place. Borrowing from French and Italian traditions while embracing the bounty of the Golden State, the New Californian cuisine—as it became known—was a movement with a distinct identity that shaped the way America eats. What defined it was a meticulous obsession with provenance and sourcing, and confidence in the ingredients strong enough to serve up simple plates that highlight products, such as Suncrest peaches, at their absolute peak. This specific peach has become an iconic emblem of Water’s restaurant Chez Panisse, which opened in 1971. Still open today, it serves dishes like Artichoke caponata with hand-stretched mozzarella, rocket salad, and prosciutto, spit-roasted Stemple Creek Ranch grass-fed beef rib-eye with spring vegetable ragoût and salsa verde, Meyer lemon ice cream crêpe with blueberries. The evolution continued through the 1990s and 2000s with visionaries like Jeremy Fox, whose vegetable-forward cooking at Ubuntu earned him national acclaim and helped redefine the possibilities of plant-based cuisine. His cookbook On Vegetables was published at Phaidon and sold globally, expanding the reputation of California produce and vegetable-based cookery. Fox’s influence on contemporary California dining is immense, with his meticulous yet unpretentious approach to seasonal ingredients setting a new standard that continues to inspire today’s innovative chefs. To understand how things are evolving, his own trajectory is a good place to start. At Rustic Canyon and now at Birdie G’s, his cooking seems to have evolved again—still rooted in seasonality, but with a greater sense of nostalgia, comfort, and Americana, mirroring broader shifts in California dining today. But what does New California Cuisine at-large look like today? California has undergone significant change, with second-generation immigrants reshaping its culinary landscape. If non- European-style food could only be found in ethnicised neighbourhoods of Los Angeles—the kind the late, great Pullitzer prize-winning food writer Jonathan Gold wrote about with such panache—today, it is modernised versions of non-European cuisines that are not only pushing Californian Joel Hart unpacks the culinary revolution that rocked the state, the nation and the world P H O T O © S S A L 57 56 Nº 50 | CALIFORNIA V A L M . C A N T Ú J O E L H A R T U T H E E V O L U T I O N O F N E W C A L I F O R N I A C U I S I N E of Mexican fine dining by blending modern techniques with bold regional flavours, a reflection of his deep respect for the cultural heritage of Mexico combined with California’s agricultural abundance. Moving to Asian influences, Baroo, led by Chef Kwang Uh in LA, and Ssal, run by Chef Hyun-jae Choo highlight the finest Californian meat and vegetables through the lens of modernised Korean cooking, rooted in a reverence for fermentation. In downtown LA, Kato has redefined California-Taiwanese cuisine under Chef Jon Yao, whose tasting menus seamlessly blend Eastern techniques with Western California ingredients, in dishes like a take on a classic Taiwanese clam dish using local sablefish and abalone braised in a basil and clam sauce. Meanwhile, in San Francisco, Chef Brandon Jew’s Mister cuisine into new territory, but are even considered the greatest versions of it. The ethos of ingredient-driven, unfussy cooking remains, but the lens has widened. The deep cultural diversity of California—Mexican, Japanese, Korean, Southeast Asian—now plays a defining role in what’s served, from taco-omakase hybrids to heirloom grain nixtamalisation projects, and fermentation labs turning koji, kimchi and fish sauce into pantry staples that transform celebrated produce across tasting menus and casual kitchens alike. This diversity is exemplified by standout establishments like Holbox in Los Angeles, where Chef Gilberto Cetina Jr. delivers a masterclass in Mexican seafood that honours both Yucatecan traditions and California’s coastal bounty. In the same vein, Chef Val M. Cantú’s Californios pushes the boundaries Jiu’s reimagines Chinese-American cuisine, highlights Californian provenance in classic dishes like Liberty Farms whole roast Peking duck, and more contemporary spins like ‘Devil’s Gulch mouthwatering rabbit,’ where the meat is served with liangpi (cold skin noodles), sugar snap pea, fennel, and artichoke. The same philosophy applies to the city’s Michelin-starred Thai restaurant Nari, where Pacific coast sardines are showcased in a dish with crispy fried sardines crowning a spicy Southern curried rice salad laced with sour fruits, chilis, makrut, and lime. Is this modern-Californian cuisine with a new face? Is it modern-Korean or modern- Mexican that simply pays homage to California produce? Perhaps each of these expressions is forging a new path entirely. What’s clear is that each chef tells a different story of how their culinary identity has evolved—and 59 58 Nº 50 | CALIFORNIA P H O T O G R A P H Y © C A L I F O R N I O S Rockfish, for instance, is transformed by its accompaniments: beans from Tierra, fresh tortillas (with corn from Tierra), and herbs and salsas sourced from a specific garden at Meadowood in Napa Valley. “Our job in the kitchen is to highlight the incredible bounty of California,” Cantú explains, “and share it with our guests.” For Chef Junsoo Bae of the one Michelin- starred Ssal, viewing California cuisine through a Korean lens means layering deep traditions of fermentation, seasonality, and subtle balance onto the vibrant and diverse ingredients that California offers. “Korean cuisine emphasizes the connection between food, nature, and time,” he says, “ideas that resonate with the ethos of California cooking but offer a distinct sensibility. Through this perspective, California’s bounty is not just celebrated for its abundance, but also thoughtfully transformed with techniques and philosophies rooted in Korean heritage, creating new expressions of familiar ingredients.” One Korean technique that fits perfectly with California’s ingredients is the philosophy of jang (fermented sauces such as ganjang, doenjang, and gochujang), which integrate beautifully with California’s fresh produce and seafood. “The process of fermentation brings out deep umami, nuance, and complexity, enhancing the brightness and purity of local ingredients without overpowering them,” says Bae. “By applying jang techniques to J O E L H A R T U T H E E V O L U T I O N O F N E W C A L I F O R N I A C U I S I N E how California, in all its diversity, continues to shape what’s possible on the plate. With each chef shaped by personal history, cultural memory, and the ever-evolving landscape of California’s ingredients, to understand how this next chapter of California cuisine is being written, Glug spoke to two chefs at the forefront of this shift. “I think that Californios is a continuation of California Cuisine,” says Val M. Cantú of the two Michelin-starred restaurant, Californios, in San Francisco. With admiration for chefs like Thomas Keller at the French Laundry, and David Kinch at Manresa, Cantú says, “I really learned from their approaches to the local and seasonal cuisines that they created.” For Cantú, it’s important to note that “San Francisco was formerly part of Mexico, and there is a huge Latin population here,” explaining, “we opened the restaurant in the Mission district, and felt like that was where we were meant to be. Our goal is to express something that is completely unique to this place and to this moment in time.” The menu at the restaurant is entirely based on what is available locally from the farmers and purveyors with whom the team has developed relationships over the last 14 years. The corn is grown specifically for them by Tierra Vegetables Farm in Santa Rosa, California. With 40 years of farming experience, the farm plays a crucial role in fuelling the restaurant’s cuisine. A dish centred around grilled Chilipepper P H O T O G R A P H Y © C A L I F O R N I O S 61 60 Nº 5 0 fi CALIFORNIA Our job in the kitchen is to highlight the incredible bounty of California, and share it with our guests is clear. “I think one of the greatest things about California is its diversity,” he says. “There are many amazing young chefs with different backgrounds creating their own versions of what feels special and important to them,” adding “Cuisine is culture. And thankfully now, more importantly than ever, American diners are ready to open the door to new possibilities. The days of French, Japanese, and Italian being the only respected cuisines are over.” The diversification of the Golden state looks poised to keep offering entirely original, personal forms of cuisine that rely on the excellent small-scale, sustainable agriculture that has emerged across the state. In doing so, they offer new possibilities for such world-class produce. As Cantú puts it, “There are so many cultures that are sharing their cuisines and expanding our knowledge and concepts about what California can be.” J O E L H A R T U T H E E V O L U T I O N O F N E W C A L I F O R N I A C U I S I N E ingredient-driven spirit of California. “Our cuisine is based firmly in tradition, and we hope to build upon that,” Cantú says. “I think we may be perceived as avant garde , but our strength comes from our knowledge and love of the flavours and preparations that we grew up with.” The key still lies in the product, however. “Because we start with the most amazing ingredients that a farmer has brought to us, the rest flows naturally,” Cantú emphasises. “It is not important to us to insert our egos and try to impress with some newfangled technique. When we make that food that is undeniably delicious, it resonates with our guests. And although our cuisine may feel new, to me it is a continuation of Mexican tradition.” So what does the future of New California cuisine entail in general? For Cantú, the answer California’s vibrant seasonal ingredients, chefs can create flavours that feel both rooted and revolutionary at the same time.” The quail dish on the menu is a perfect example of how this works in practice. The team works directly with Brent Wolfe, local quail producers who share their commitment to sustainability and quality. The quail is treated with jang ( ganjang : soy sauce) and paired with seasonal greens from California farms. “The dish embodies a Korean sensibility in its seasoning and preparation, but the specific terroir of California—the soil, the water, the microclimate—is essential to the flavour of the final plate,” Bae explains. “It’s a dish that could only exist at the intersection of these two worlds.” At Californios, there is also a blending of traditional cuisine with the hyper-local, P H O T O © S S A L J U N S O O B A E ( b a c k ce n t re ) A N D T H E S S A L T E A M 63 62 Nº 5 0 fi CALIFORNIA