Plugs — Aaron Elliott

L.A. food, drink, and leisure recs from a private celebrity chef + LINKS

Plugs is The Angel’s recs column. Every week, you’ll get six picks—a restaurant, a bar, a shop, an ingredient, a person, and a treat—from someone in Los Angeles who knows what they’re talking about, plus a selection of Angel-curated links. (Plugs are for paid subscribers of The Angel only; upgrade your subscription to receive all six!)

#90 is Aaron Elliott, a private chef to the stars and the founder of the plant-based meal delivery service Meal Ticket. Aaron grew up in Pittsburgh and has been a vegan since 1999. Before he began cooking professionally, he was a drummer in punk bands from his teenage years through his early twenties. He’s interned at Noma in Copenhagen and D.O.M. in Brazil, and he’s cooked for the likes of James and Suzy Cameron, Travis Barker, Ari Emmanuel, and UFC fighter Nate Diaz. Last year, Aaron launched Meal Ticket as a way to bring his cooking to more people in Los Angeles. The menu changes weekly and is sourced from the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market. He was recently profiled in GQ by Jason Stewart, whose Plugs ran last week. Here’s Aaron with his Plugs!

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Restaurant — Meals by Genet

My favorite meal by a mile. Death row status. Any time I am traveling, camping, basically anything to keep me away from home, a vegetarian platter, tofu tibs, and gluten-free injera at Meals by Genet is the meal I miss and can’t stop thinking about. Genet is 72, and she’s been open for 25 years. She is not only one of my favorite chefs, but one of my best friends and a huge inspiration. Oh, and she’s vegan!

Photo by Aaron Elliott.