Celebrated Swedish chef Marcus Jernmark has inaugurated his new culinary venture, Lielle, in Los Angeles, marking a significant return to a familiar location. Four years after his initial visit to Walter and Margarita Manzke’s Bicyclette on Pico Boulevard, Jernmark has transformed the same space into his own restaurant, specializing in California ingredients prepared with Nordic culinary techniques. This establishment reflects a deliberate shift from traditional fine dining, with Jernmark and his wife, Andrea, aiming to create a more approachable yet equally high-quality experience.
Lielle distinguishes itself by offering an intimate 42-seat setting and a four-course tasting menu priced at $150 per person, emphasizing the freshest seasonal ingredients sourced from California. Jernmark, alongside chef de cuisine Matthew Bowden, has meticulously selected produce such as abalone and seaweed from Monterey Abalone Company and cheeses from Petaluma’s Andante Dairy. The restaurant's philosophy, which Jernmark refers to as 'survival cooking,' focuses on utilizing in-season ingredients and preserving them for future menus, exemplified by the fermentation of Oro Blanco grapefruit peels for a spicy condiment. Complementing the innovative dishes, Phil South has curated a wine list heavily featuring Californian selections, aligning with the concept that ingredients grown together pair best together.
Looking ahead, Jernmark envisions Lielle as a versatile dining destination, breaking away from the stiff formality often associated with haute cuisine. He aims to offer a dining experience that encourages guests to return for various occasions, not just special events. This vision will further materialize with the planned opening of a more casual sister restaurant, Mareé, later this year, providing guests with diverse options and reinforcing Lielle’s commitment to an adaptable and engaging culinary journey.
Lielle's innovative approach, blending the precision of Nordic cooking with the bounty of California's produce, offers a fresh perspective on contemporary dining. It demonstrates that culinary excellence can be both accessible and deeply connected to its environment, encouraging a mindful and adventurous exploration of flavors.