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-plus 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,” says 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 10 a.m. 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.
