Plugs — Drew Wheeler

L.A. food, drink, and leisure recs from a restaurant consultant + 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. Free subscribers will receive one Plug; upgrade your subscription to receive all six!)

#49 is Drew Wheeler, a multi-hyphenate restaurant consultant, former chef, strategic business operator, and hospitality professional. He was born in Los Angeles, raised in Orange County, then cheffed in New York kitchens including Olmsted, Ryder, Greenpoint Fish and Losbter, and, briefly, Aska and Per Se. Now back in L.A., Drew does most of his cooking at home or at friends’ places, oftentimes over an open fire. I speak from experience when I say that he throws an excellent backyard barbecue. We met at Horses on opening week seated at neighboring tables, and we’ve been food (and real) friends ever since. Here are his L.A. Plugs!

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Restaurant — OTOTO

Oh man, this is always the one, huh? There are so many restaurants that mark different times in my life, but over the past few years, OTOTO has been a staple for me. I really enjoy sake but can’t say I have a huge knowledge of it, and I always feel an easy rush of discovery when I ask the team here to just pour me something special.

It’s good for groups, solo, dates, family, and they are open seven days a week, so even though I don’t work in a kitchen full-time anymore, I can catch up with industry friends on their nights off. And the potato salad is one of the most underrated dishes in Los Angeles (IYKYK).