Just as vibrant as the entertainment scene in Hollywood is the culinary scene in Los Angeles. From fast-food chains to upscale dining, the city has it all covered. Celebrity chefs, like their film and television counterparts, try to perform their very best on their own stages: their restaurants.
Building fantastic restaurants goes a long way for celebrity chefs to deliver extraordinary performances, especially in a city where their well-known counterparts, and everyone else for that matter, come to dine with very high tastes and expectations. Our top 15 restaurant contractors are well-seasoned, no pun intended, in helping those celebrity chefs to build their stage.
15) econstruct, Inc.
25350 Magic Mountain Pkwy Suite 300 Valencia, CA 91355
econstruct, Inc. is a general contractor based in Beverly Hills. Established by President Frank Neimroozi in 1987, the firm specializes in all foodservice-related construction, as well as complete renovations, add-ons, and high-end residential construction. Inclusive in their service is expediting work, and making handling negotiations, permits, and contracts with the city.
econstruct, Inc. built the Hutchinson, an Indonesian steakhouse run by the Hopper family, at 826 North La Cienega Boulevard. Completed in 2014, the former Spanish Kitchen restaurant was transformed into the first Indonesian-style steakhouse in Los Angeles. Dark woods, textiles, and carvings adorn the restaurant throughout. Variety and Eater Los Angeles have featured the restaurant in their publications
14) Elden Development Construction
3400 W 6th St. Ste 314, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Formed more than 38 years ago, Elden Development Construction is a Los Angeles-based developer and general contractor. The firm is led by Chairman and CEO Peter Jung Ho Cha, who brings with him 20 years of extensive experience in construction and development in and around Los Angeles. The firm has contributed over 105,000 square feet of restaurant space of varying themes throughout California.
Elden was responsible for building the Bann Restaurant in the MaDang Mall at 621 South Western Avenue. Bann is a Korean barbeque restaurant formed and owned by Young Sook Choi, as an offshoot of the Woo Lae Oak chain of Korean restaurants. Bann, along with the entire mall, stood where the Los Angeles branch of Woo Lae Oak once stood. The newer restaurant has retained much of the airy, sleek, Korean ambiance of the older restaurant, while the downward-suctioning grills are a welcome addition to the facility.
13) DPT Construction
19201 Parthenia St, Unit B, Northridge CA 91324
DPT Construction is a Northridge-based general contractor that specializes in hotel renovations, commercial retail, tenant improvement, institutional, restaurants, and residential projects. The projects DPT handles widely vary in scope, from complete renovations, additions, tenant improvement, and commercial retail, to new construction and hospitality renovations with complete furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E) packages. Originally his father’s paint and tile workshop, President David Daoud expanded the business to a full-service general contractor in 1991. DPT has a restaurant portfolio consisting of both national casual dining chains such as Five Guys and California Pizza Kitchen and custom upscale restaurants.
DPT built the 8,000 square-foot Fig & Olive restaurant on Melrose Place in West Hollywood, the West Coast flagship of a Mediterranean-inspired chain of restaurants. At the center of the restaurant is alive fig tree from which the dining floor layout is designed around, while shrubbery made of rosemary outlines the perimeter. The restaurant also features a 50-foot marble bar with a ceiling-height backlit wine cache rising from behind. Similarly-designed backlit artisanal olive oil caches can also be found around the restaurant.
12) Ramland Construction
1650 Westwood Blvd, Ste 200, Los Angeles, CA 90024
Ramland Construction is a Los Angeles-based general contractor specializing in restaurant, retail and hotel construction. The firm’s portfolio includes projects in major cities all over the country, including Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C., while maintaining California as the primary market. Formed in 1998 by President Steve Ramras, the company offers pre-construction, construction, and post-construction services to clients, with great knowledge, experience, and efficiency resulting in repeat customers
At 451 South Hewitt Street, Ramland built Urth Downtown LA, one of the locations of a small chain of Italian organic cafes. The facade features an Art Deco design on bricks, colorful exterior panels, and a fully-functioning clock tower. Inside, the restaurant has an L-shaped bar that serves as the centerpiece of the space. The bar is adorned above by a tile pattern with a mural of pictures on top.
11) DLD Consulting and Construction
216 S Citrus St, Ste 210, West Covina CA 91791
DLD Consulting and Construction is a West Covina-based general contractor specializing in building restaurants and nightclubs in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The firm is led by Commercial Director and CEO Pete Davis, who’s more than a quarter of a century of experience has enabled the company to build a repertoire of loyal repeat customers, most notable of whom is SBE, whose luxury hospitality brands are exclusively delivered by DLD. The contractor’s portfolio includes nearly one thousand projects, built by a team comprised of more than a hundred skilled and dedicated professionals. DLD’s hold on the Southern California’s nightclub market has been documented by the U.S. Builder Review, while the New York Times, Los Angeles Magazine, Eater LA, and GQ have featured some of the firm’s well-known nightclubs and restaurants.
One of SBE’s luxury nightclubs is The Colony at 1743 North Cahuenga Boulevard. The nightclub emulates the energy and opulence of the Hamptons, the New York neighborhood for social elites, in the middle of Hollywood. Every detail is designed to put guests into the ambiance of the exclusive neighborhood by the sea, from the nautical-themed fixtures and furnishings, to the open-air patio with hammock-covered pool and daybeds.
10) MDM Builders
541 S Spring St, Ste 213, Los Angeles CA 90013
MDM Builders is a Los Angeles-based, family-owned and operated, full-service general contractor formed by Moshe Librush and sons Michael and David in 2003. The company offers a full range of pre-construction and general contracting services to clients in the restaurant and retail markets. A tight-knit company, MDM’s staff value each other and every client like they are all part of one big family. Some of MDM’s most notable projects have been featured in Eater LA, LA Downtown News, and LA Magazine.
Some of the most prolific projects MDM has handled are bars. Most notable of these bars is Wolf and Crane at 366 East 2nd Street, a late-night bar in Little Tokyo whose name was derived both from Aesop’s fables, and as sacred animals of Japan. MDM combined light-stained wood fixtures and furnishings with more contemporary details including polished concrete floors, linear banquette, and room-dividing ropes to create a casual and inviting environment. A particular detail of note is the use of nafudakake, traditional Japanese wooden nameplates and board, to display the names of the bar’s most frequent patrons.
9) Modaa Construction
520 Broadway, 2nd Flr, Santa Monica CA 90401
Modaa Construction is a general contractor headquartered in Santa Monica with an office in Studio City. The firm specializes in both residential and commercial construction, particularly residential remodeling and additions, custom home construction, and commercial tenant improvements. Each project is led by a LEED AP Project Manager to ensure the firm’s commitment to sustainability in construction. Despite being young in the industry, with only about a decade of experience, Modaa’s skill, diligence and dedication to each project earned them praise from publications such as The Architect’s Newspaper, Los Angeles Times, Observer, and Los Angeles Magazine.
At 7020 Melrose Avenue, Modaa built the cafe Coffee for Sasquatch. This modern facility invokes the mystical environment of a temperate forest, befitting of the Sasquatch the coffee shop has as its mascot. The captivating storefront features the outline of the creature backgrounded by a seven-inch deep living plant wall. The birchwood service counter extends from there to emulate a growing tree. The wavy built-in seating opposite the counter evokes the image of a stream, lined by trees when coupled with the minimalist furnishings, while the inverted pitched ceiling symbolizes the endless sky.
8) Barling Construction
1920 Violet St., Suite 201, Los Angeles, CA 90021
Barling Construction, Inc. is a Los Angeles-based general contractor that specializes in hospitality and restaurant projects. Principal Daniel Barling has been leading the company for more than 30 years. Daniel and his team have built strong relationships with their clients through diligence, deep understanding and extensive expertise in restaurant and hospitality construction. Barling’s clientele includes celebrity chefs Timothy Hollingsworth of Otium, Raphael Francois and Pastry Chef Sally Camacho of Tesse, David Chang of Momofuku/Majordomo, Walter Manzke of the Republique and John Secretan of Zinc Cafe. Variety, Observer, Los Angeles Times and Vogue have featured Barling’s must-see and most talked about restaurant projects.
At 222 South Hope Street, Barling built the Otium just next to the Broad Museum. Barling reused a modernist cubic structure designed by Osvaldo Maiozzi not only for space itself but also for design inspirations. Hexagonal tiles were used in combination with hardwood to create a flowy floor. Meanwhile, an open kitchen, floor-to-ceiling windows, reflective wall panels, gold-tiled backsplashes, and bare-bulb lighting give the restaurant an airy yet warm and delightful ambiance. Otium won the 2016 Best Restaurant Design Award from LA Weekly and Tesse won the 2018 Eater LA Award for Reader’s Choice Design of the Year Restaurant.
7) McCormick Construction
2507 Empire Ave, Burbank, CA 91504
McCormick Construction is a Burbank-based family-owned and operated general contractor and designer-builder formed in 1914, and services California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Oregon, and Washington. The company specializes in general construction and construction management of mid- to high-rise commercial and institutional buildings, industrial projects, retail and medical facilities, multi-family residential and interiors for both the public and private sector. McCormick has been the recipient of several awards, including the Design-Build Institute of America National Award of Merit, the Engineering News-Record Best Project Awards, and the ENR California Award of Merit.
McCormick built the gourmet wine & cheese bar and fine wine & spirits shop Wally’s Vinoteca in Beverly Hills. The 6,000 square-foot bar features high-end interior finishes including polished concrete floors and carefully crafted 12-foot high redwood wine racks. An insulated wine vault was also installed to store most of the bar’s wine and spirits collection. The elegant yet casual design invites patrons to savor the shop’s collection of the finest artisanal foods.
6) Pacific Empire Builders
500 N Brand Blvd, Ste 2120, Glendale, CA 91203
Pacific Empire Builders is a general contractor founded in 2005 by Dan Mahoney and Jason Tolleson, who are also founders of the full-service real estate developer Serrano Development Group. The two firms maintain a close-knit relationship, working together to build and develop high-quality projects. This Glendale-based contractor focuses on hospitality, multifamily, office, retail, and industrial markets, and was recently the recipient of the Pacific Coast Builders Conference Gold Nugget Award.
Pacific Empire Builders was responsible for the Churchill, a 10,000 square-foot restaurant in the Orlando Hotel at 8384 West Third Street. The restaurant has two floors, the first featuring a bar and a full sitting dining area, as well as a patio with additional sitting. Another, much larger dining area can be found on the second floor, as well as a balcony.
5) Matt Construction
261 S Figueroa St, Ste 120, Los Angeles CA 90012
Matt Construction is a general contractor established by late founder Paul Matt, Executive VP Al Matt, and CEO Steve Matt in 1991 and headquartered in Los Angeles. The firm’s portfolio ranges a wide variety of projects, from mixed-use to commercial, institutional and hospitality. Matt earned the AIA Los Angeles Building Team of the Year Award two times, as well as the AIA Los Angeles Presidential Award.
Matt Construction was responsible for the extensive renovations and build-outs for the Bel Air Bar and Grill. The project covered three components in two adjoining structures: the renovation and expansion of the restaurant’s original single-story 1940s farmhouse, the construction of a two-story building that would house offices on the first, and an event venue on the second, and one level of below-grade parking and one level of at-grade parking with 35 stalls total built below the office/venue building. The restaurant was expanded to the floor area of 6,000 square feet, while new food service equipment and a new modern rustic interior were installed.
4) Sierra Pacific Constructors
3050 Fletcher Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90065
Sierra Pacific Constructors is a Los Angeles-based general contractor that specializes in commercial projects. Founded by principals Ken La Spada and Cary Gerhardt in 1980, the firm boasts a portfolio of more than 3,000 projects throughout Los Angeles, 85% of which come from repeat clients. The company is proud of its staff of more than 90 skilled and experienced professionals, who collectively made the Sierra Pacifica reputable and respected member of the industry. Sierra Pacific Constructors has earned many accolades, including the Los Angeles Business Journal’s Commercial Real Estate Awards and the International Interior Design Association Calibre Awards.
Sierra Pacific was responsible for building the Bouchon Bakery within the Bouchon Restaurant in Beverly Hills. The build was a challenge: to build a fully functioning bakery kitchen and service counter below the stairs leading up to the main restaurant. The contractor collaborated with the restaurant chain’s exclusive designer Adam Tehani to create this space, which involved designs reminiscent of the “Bouchon” cafes of Lyon.
3) CalAsia Construction
3050 Fletcher Dr, Los Angeles CA 90065
CalAsia Construction is a general contractor based in Los Angeles that was formed by couple and principals John and Myrna Murawski in 2003. The company has a portfolio of more than 500 successfully completed projects in the commercial and residential sectors. The principals have 25 years of shared experience in building restaurants, having developed a unique, straightforward, and extremely thorough system of managing projects in the process. This management system, together with its full staff of fine finish carpenters, concrete specialists, framers, electricians, and general laborers, earned CalAsia high-profile clients and the respect of the industry.
The most notable of CalAsia’s restaurant projects is Gordon Ramsay’s Hell Kitchen in Culver City, which has been the set of Ramsay’s televised culinary competition of the same name since its fourth season. The most distinctive part of the restaurant is the two full open kitchens color-coded red and blue where the competition proper takes place. The dining area, meanwhile, exudes class and luxury, with a subtle hint of competition and intrepidation, an aura befitting of the most explosive culinary competition.
2) R.D. Olson Construction
2955 Main St, 3rd Flr, Irvine, CA 92614
Based in Irvine, CA, R.D. Olson Construction is a national general contractor and construction manager that specializes in hotel, resort, multifamily housing, country club, retail, and restaurant projects. The company was formed by CEO Robert Olson in 1979, who continues to lead the company together with President Bill Wilhelm. The firm’s list of repeat clients includes Marriott, Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group, Starwood Lodging, UDR, and Affirmed Housing Group. The Engineering News-Record has given R.D. Olson Construction a spot on its National Top 400 Contractors List.
R.D. Olson built Drai’s Hollywood Nightclub at the W Hollywood Hotel, consisting of a member-only VIP lounge in the hotel’s ground floor, and a penthouse nightclub in the 11th. The 2,300 square-foot VIP lounge features the finest European interior finishes, veneer wood wall covering, smooth level-five drywall finish, herringbone-patterned mahogany wood flooring, black painted ceiling, and a grand crystal chandelier above a multi-colored onyx bar. The penthouse, meanwhile, is a 15,500 square-foot structure built upon a soundproofing floating slab, enclosed by a complex floating ceiling, and two-layered glass paneling that give guests an unobstructed view of the famous Hollywood sign.
1) Shangri-La Construction
550 S Hope St, Ste 510, Los Angeles CA 90071
Shangri-La Construction (SLC) is a Los Angeles developer/builder led by Ayahlushim Getachew, President, and Andy Meyers, Chief Executive Officer. SLC’s foundation as a general contractor has allowed for exponential growth and enabled the completion of some of the most challenging, iconic and historic properties in Downtown Los Angeles. Recent notable projects include the Commercial Exchange Building and Hotel Figueroa, both renowned recipients of multiple awards, and 1133 S Hope Street, a ground-up, multifamily high-rise currently under construction. All of these projects feature an abundance of unique details; restaurants, bars, retail, pool lounges, and commercial kitchens are just the beginning. Beyond contracting, SLC took the leap into development and ambitiously began constructing communities that inspire growth and success among people of all socio-economic levels. This aspiration is coming to fruition with nearly 800 units under construction. SLC’s unique vertically integrated structure facilitates transparent communication between partners, resulting in the reduction of cost and inefficiencies – SLC makes projects pencil!
Shangri-La built multiple locations of LYFE Kitchen throughout California. The largest of these locations is found in the West Hollywood Gateway, with a floor area of 7,300 square feet. The restaurant includes casual open spaces and patio, a full commercial kitchen, juice bar, sales counter, service kiosks, restrooms, and back-of-house facilities. In addition to being a vibrant place, the restaurant is also sustainably designed, with eco-friendly features including furniture made of recycled milk and juice cartons, bamboo and salvaged Sequoia wood tables and a signature hydroponic microgreen wall that grows more than 60,000 microgreens.
