Chef Wes Whitsell, Culinary Director, Local LA –Waterfront and Mama’s Boy, Venice Part 1

SoCal Restaurant Show

Chef Wes Whitsell earned a well-deserved Michelin Star for Hatchet Hall in Culver City and thereafter took a little breather from the L.A. kitchens to recharge with some consulting gigs along the way. Chef Wes is back with the new post as Culinary Director for the Local LA restaurant group.

Local LA operates the beachfront Waterfront on The Boardwalk in Venice and the nearby Mama’s Boy at Winston House. For 2025 Chef Wes will oversee an ambitious new concept in the former, long-running Enterprise Fish Co. space in Santa Monica.

“The Waterfront is a California cuisine restaurant (with a Texas-accent) located on Venice Beach. Happy Hour daily (closed on Monday) and Weekend Brunch with bottomless beverages. Chef Wes’ food and beverage menus celebrate California with carefully selected seasonal produce from local farms. Their tortillas are handmade daily. The corn tortilla is made from organic Kernel of Truth masa. The flour tortilla is made from Tehachapi Grain Project Sonora wheat.”

“Mama’s Boy is a playful Italian dinner club with a Southern accent, brought to you by Michelin-starred Chef Wes Whitsell. Situated inside Venice’s Winston House – a popular community hub with live music and DJ sets – Mama’s Boy is, perhaps, the perfect start to a night out. With lively dishes that embody Chef’s Texan roots and mom’s home-cooked Italian food, the menu strikes a balance between comfort and creativity.” “At Mama’s Boy, he presents his most innovative menu yet: a fusion of nostalgic Italian cuisine with a Southern twist - a true ‘Spaghetti Western’. Each dish is a nod to his upbringing, a journey home where every bite tells a story of love, tradition, and the connection of family.”

Think Pimento Cheese Arancini with hot pepper-tomato jelly and dill, ultra-thin crispy “Dad’s Pies” pizzas with Tehachapi grain Sonora wheat, and Gulf Shrimp and Anson Mills Grits. Chef Wes is known for his biscuits so do contemplate his seasonal Strawberry Shortcake with Tehachapi Sonora Biscuit and fresh whipped cream.

Chef Wes takes a break from the Santa Monica Farmers Market to join us.