Raw foods movement pioneer and celebrity chef, Matthew Kenney slices a sophisticated twist from the already prevalent raw food scene in Santa Monica. His latest venture, M.A.K.E., takes the plant-based modernist cuisine he's known for across the country to The Market at Santa Monica Place. The contemporary café is filled with bright, natural light in the oceanside shopping mecca. Curious diners and raw food enthusiasts alike enjoy a seasonally conceptualized menu along with some of the classics Kenney made famous such as Raw Lasagna, Vegetable Nori Roll and the Smoked Tree Nut "Cheese" Plate.
Thin sheets of zucchini layered atop Macadamia nut ricotta form a "lasagna," gaining rich classic flavor from sweet market tomatoes and basil. Surprisingly, in a “Nori Roll” bursting with flavorful shiitake, pickled daikon, ginger and chipotle, jicama blossom masquerades as sticky rice. The most awe-inspiring to the taste buds was the "cheese" plate, comprised of smoked walnut and pistachio cheese, sweet and spicy mustard seed as well as fennel crisps, which offered savory satisfaction.
Photo Courtesy of 2Sense-Los Angeles
One meal at M.A.K.E. will leave you interested and wanting more. Alas, Kenney makes the art of living cuisine and a raw lifestyle available to both locals and food enthusiasts. The Matthew Kenney Culinary School is conveniently located adjacent to the restaurant. Proudly, it's one of the only classically structured raw food curriculums in the country. A state-of-the-art industrial kitchen holds weekend intensive courses emphasizing preparation of modern plant-based cuisine.
Photo Courtesy of M.A.K.E.
Photo Courtesy of M.A.K.E.
