MARU LA
MARU LA
© Hwoo Lee
Maru Los Angeles was born in 2019 out of my good friend Hwoo Lee’s kitchen at USC. Hwoo is a self-taught chef who started cooking for larger groups at USC and creating intimate prix-fixe dinners for university students. I was brought on as the main Photographer for Maru, and then moved on to become the General Manager.
Intimate Gatherings for Young Fine Diners
Menu from March 2020
After curating our guest list at the start of every week, we would send our menu out where guests could reserve their place.
But our dinners weren’t just about the food… The staff of Maru made sure that every dinner was about bringing people together, whether it was the back of house, or the guests themselves.
2 dinners, twice a week, 10 guests. Our prix-fixe menu was inspired by Asian-Italian fusion cuisine, and highlighted comfort and avant-garde flavours (think Uni crispy rice, and miso carbonara). Before each meal, guests would be asked intimate questions, that got more intimate as each course was brought out. There was an option for wine pairing and we always had a shot of Soju with our guests. Guests signed a guestbook and were sent on their merry way with new friends, a full belly, and an incredible story to share.
