A Modern Twist

The Iron Chef: America Alum Dishes On His Popular L.a. Eatery Spartina And The Surprising Inspiration Behind His Dishes

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There’s only one word to describe Stephen Kalt’s cooking style: unique. “I really allow what’s around me to influence what I’m doing,” explains the New York native, noting that the muse behind his latest restaurant, the popular West Coast Cal-Italian eatery Spartina, is the city of Los Angeles itself. “When I arrived in L.A. I just couldn’t help but be influenced by [all these] ethnic communities. There are large Korean, Chinese and Hispanic populations here so [in my dishes, I’ll] use fermented black beans and tomatillo or make kimchi out of endive, while still staying true to the core philosophy of Italian cooking.” Here, the Iron Chef: America alum sits down with chef Judy Joo to talk about his creative cuisine, his A-list clie