California Cuisine

Where and when was the term California Cuisine born? The late 1970s brought to life a few Northern and Southern California restaurateurs, along with like-thinking farmers, winemakers, and chefs. Michael's restaurant offered the best local ingredients cooked in ways that highlighted their natural qualities, paired them with complementary wines, and served them in a relaxed yet stylish contemporary setting filled with fine art.

Michael McCarty studied at the University of Colorado, Boulder, followed by Le Cordon Bleu, Paris. He played a major role in defining this uniquely modern American attitude toward cooking, dining, and entertaining since 1979, when he opened his first acclaimed Michael’s restaurant in Santa Monica; Michael’s New York opened in 1989, and both continue to flourish.

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