THE 23rd ANNUAL HOT 25
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Ryan Adams
By Susan BelknappPublished: November 01, 2012
Owner and executive chef Three Seventy Common, Laguna Beach
Hot factor: Blends great food and engaging design to great success
Chef Ryan Adams’ culinary roots go deep. Starting out at 15 as a dishwasher and prep cook, he worked his way up while studying culinary arts at Saddleback College and the California Culinary Academy.
After a two-year stint in Hawaii, Adams returned to the mainland and worked in a number of large cities before heading home to O.C. He worked as corporate chef for Culinary Adventures’ flagship chain Savannah, running its nine restaurants until the economic collapse in 2008 forced the company into bankruptcy. Adams soon received an offer to take over one of Culinary Adventures’ locations in Laguna Beach and he created the concept for Three Seventy Common Kitchen + Drink – an innovative approach all his own.
When you walk into the restaurant, you immediately get a sense of Adams’ vision in the interiors: a floor-to-ceiling brick fireplace that looks early 19th century and refinished woodblock tables. The rustic, comfortable feel is a welcome contrast to the white-tablecloth bistro look so common in the higher-end areas.
The cuisine, which Adams refers to as “globally influenced/domestically sourced,” is focused on comfort, creativity and seasonal ingredients.
“We really wanted to create a ‘neighborhood restaurant’ feel,” Adams says. “We want to be that place where locals will go every week without fail – and that’s happening.”
Some of Adams’ most popular innovations are Sunday Socials, a three-course family-style meal for as low as $28 a person; and Uncommon Mondays, in which a guest chef prepares a trademark meal for a set price every third Monday of the month. The results are undeniable, and Adams continues to look for his next big venture.
THE 2013 HOT 25
Marcy Brown § Emile Haddad § Joe Kiani § Mary Niven
Aileen Anderson, Ph.D. & Brian Cummings, Ph.D.
Dan Griesemer § Al Mijares § Lisa Varga § Paul Walters
Aaron Kushner & Eric Spitz § A.G. Kawamura
Giuseppe Lama § Mayte Santacruz § Paul Edalat
Patrick O’Neill § Lisa Neal § Danny Sullivan
Reggie Gilyard § Robert Santana § Steve & Alexis Schulze
Kallie Dovel, Alli Swanson, Anna Nelson,
Jessie Simonson & Brooke Hodges
Bill Trefethen § Kristen Howerton § Tim Busch § Ryan Adams
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Owner and executive chef Three Seventy Common, Laguna Beach Hot factor: Blends great food and engaging design to great success Chef Ryan Adams’ culinary roots go deep. Starting out at 15 as a dishwasher and prep cook, he worked his way up while studying culinary arts at Saddleback College and the California Culinary Academy. After a two-year stint in Hawaii, Adams returned to the mainland and worked in a number of large cities before heading home to O.C. He worked as corporate chef for Culinary Adventures’ flagship chain Savannah, running its nine restaurants until the economic collapse in 2008 forced the company into bankruptcy. Adams soon received an offer to take over one of Culinary Adventures’ locations in Laguna Beach and he created the concept for Three Seventy Common Kitchen + Drink – an innovative approach all his own. When you walk into the restaurant, you immediately get a sense of Adams’ vision in the interiors: a floor-to-ceiling brick fireplace that looks early 19th century and refinished woodblock tables. The rustic, comfortable feel is a welcome contrast to the white-tablecloth bistro look so common in the higher-end areas. The cuisine, which Adams refers to as “globally influenced/domestically sourced,” is focused on comfort, creativity and seasonal ingredients. “We really wanted to create a ‘neighborhood restaurant’ feel,” Adams says. “We want to be that place where locals will go every week without fail – and that’s happening.” Some of Adams’ most popular innovations are Sunday Socials, a three-course family-style meal for as low as $28 a person; and Uncommon Mondays, in which a guest chef prepares a trademark meal for a set price every third Monday of the month. The results are undeniable, and Adams continues to look for his next big venture. THE 2013 HOT 25 Marcy Brown § Emile Haddad § Joe Kiani § Mary Niven Aileen Anderson, Ph.D. & Brian Cummings, Ph.D. Dan Griesemer § Al Mijares § Lisa Varga § Paul Walters Aaron Kushner & Eric Spitz § A.G. Kawamura Giuseppe Lama § Mayte Santacruz § Paul Edalat Patrick O’Neill § Lisa Neal § Danny Sullivan Reggie Gilyard § Robert Santana § Steve & Alexis Schulze Kallie Dovel, Alli Swanson, Anna Nelson, Jessie Simonson & Brooke Hodges Bill Trefethen § Kristen Howerton § Tim Busch § Ryan Adams <<< Back to main Hot 25 page |
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