Nyesha Arrington plans to open her first restaurant, Leona, on Washington Boulevard in Venice at the end of the month. Arrington will serve as executive chef and partner, along with owners Breegan and Kristian Vallas.
The "Top Chef" alum says she's been essentially working on the menu for the entirety of her culinary career. She dubs it "progressive California cuisine," drawing inspiration from multiple cultures and their cuisines.
"That’s very quintessential Los Angeles dining," said Arrington. "The lines are a little blurred now with chefs drawing inspiration from a larger scale."
On the menu, Arrington has a dish inspired by the Korean bulgolgi her mother made when she was a child.