Rustic Canyon is turning 20, and the Santa Monica restaurant is marking the milestone by inviting the chefs who shaped it back into the kitchen.
The anniversary series, called “The First 20,” runs on four dates in October at the restaurant’s home at 1119 Wilshire Blvd. Each dinner pairs a chapter of the restaurant’s history with the cooks who wrote it.
The series opens October 6 with “How It Started.” Founder Josh Loeb, Zoe Nathan, opening chef Samir Mohajer and current executive chef Elijah Deleon share the kitchen, with winemaker Steve Matthiasson pouring alongside the menu.
October 13 is billed as “The Funke Years.” Evan Funke, who ran the Rustic Canyon kitchen before opening Felix in Venice, returns for a collaborative dinner. Sommelier Jenna Issac pours Red Car Wines.
On October 20, “Tallula’s Returns” revisits the Rustic Canyon Family’s closed Mexican restaurant. Chef Saw Naing recreates dishes from Tallula’s, with agave cocktails and wine selections from Esters.
The series closes October 26 and 27 with “The Wiz Kids,” reuniting former executive chef Andy Doubrava and former pastry chef Erika Chan. Sommeliers Kathryn Spencer and Ferdinando Mucerino handle pairings. Doubrava now leads The Catbird Seat in Nashville, which earned its first Michelin star in November 2025.
Rustic Canyon opened in December 2006, growing out of the dinner parties Loeb hosted in the Rustic Canyon neighborhood. It earned a Michelin star in June 2019 with Doubrava at the stove. The restaurant became the anchor of the Rustic Canyon Family, the group behind Huckleberry, Milo and Olive, Cassia and Esters.
The official anniversary date is December 7, 2026. Reservations for the October dinners are available through Resy.
Sources
- Beverly Press, “Restaurant News,” September 17, 2026
- Hoodline, “Rustic Canyon turns 20, brings back founding chefs for October feasts,” September 17, 2026
- Rustic Canyon official site
