The sophisticated appetite
Whist restaurant at Viceroy Santa Monica
Whist restaurant at Viceroy Santa Monica trumps all expectations of pleasurable dining. Executive Chef Tony DiSalvo's culinary savvy is on full display as he creates Mediterranean cuisine with a modern twist, showcasing produce sourced both locally and globally. Pastry Chef Brooke Mosley's seasonal desserts complement Chef DiSalvo's talent for artful and savory presentations. Whist's stunning interior is the creation of tastemaker Kelly Wearstler, utilizing innovative materials and crisp contemporary lines that deliver a sophisticated indoor/outdoor atmosphere.
Reservations: +1 310 260 7511.
| Breakfast: | Monday – Friday 7am - 11am Saturday 7am - 11:30am |
| Lunch: | Monday – Friday 11am - 2:30pm Saturday 11:30am - 2:30pm |
| Dinner: | Sunday – Tuesday 6:30pm - 10pm Wednesday – Saturday 6:30pm - 10:30pm |
| Sunday Brunch: | 11am - 2:30pm |
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Executive Chef Tony DiSalvo
A the age of 13, Tony DiSalvo talked his way into his first kitchen job at the Hotel Thayer in New York's Hudson Valley, not because he imagined he could be a chef, but because some older friends had convinced him it would be more fun than a normal summer job.
Now, as the innovative young chef brings his inspired Coastal Mediterranean style of cooking to the acclaimed Whist restaurant at Viceroy Santa Monica, it's hard to believe he actually disliked that first foray into the culinary world. Repetitive prep work had no appeal for the athletic, sports-playing teenager. Still, he came from a food-loving family. His father and grandmother cooked on weekends, reflecting their Sicilian roots. And by the time DiSalvo was 16—when he was finally given some real responsibilities at the Thayer—he realized his true passion for cooking.
DiSalvo enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, New York, in 1993, straight out of high school. While at the CIA, he served an externship with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who at the time had two restaurants, JoJo and Vong. It was a shock, DiSalvo says, to walk into the kitchen of a top New York restaurant from his culinary classes and realize it was far removed from reality. DiSalvo found himself half-terrified, half-ecstatic, working side by side with the brilliant Alsatian chef on dinners for make-or-break critics like Gael Greene.
After graduating from the CIA in 1995, DiSalvo worked for a year with Philippe Schmidt at La Goulue, where he had his first experience working with French Mediterranean cuisine. He next worked at the Gramercy Tavern under Tom Colicchio, where the emphasis on top-quality, fresh ingredients and the renowned chef's carefully forged relationships with local farmers made a lasting impression.
In 1998 DiSalvo returned to working with Vongerichten. He worked his way up the ranks of Jean Georges, the chef's Michelin three-star restaurant in the Trump International Hotel and Tower. In 2001, at only 26, he became the famed restaurant's executive chef; he remained there until he was lured to California to open Jack's La Jolla in 2004 as executive chef.
With his arrival at Whist, DiSalvo has created a fresh and vibrant menu inspired by the varied cuisines along the Mediterranean coast, giving each tradition a fresh, modern twist. "The common thread," he says, "is using unexpected combinations of flavors and spices, as well as underutilized ingredients, like the cauliflower I pair with scallops. It's not the most common or sexy ingredient, but it's surprisingly wonderful." These combinations are further exemplified by the chef's inventive appetizers and entrées, such as Bluefin Bruschetta, a chilled Almond and Saffron Soup, and Cardamom-dusted Lamb Medallions with Ricotta Gnocchi.
"I want to create an experience at Whist," he says. "I want to make your mind wander, to evoke places you've been or want to go to—and make you wonder how the food in front of you is related to the traditional dish that inspired it."
