5 Questions with Michel Richard

The bi-coastal chef behind Citronelle is back, this time in the revamped upstairs dining room of Social, Hollywood. Ebullient and outgoing on a sunny LA morning, he answered our burning questions about his latest venture, Citrus.

You're back! Why?
Jeffrey Chodorow (China Grill) called me and said "Michel we want you to help us in LA. Jeff and I are good friends, and through that we made a deal, and fixed the restaurant. I lived in LA for 20 years, and I like it. Twenty years...it's tough to forget.

How is Citrus different from your other restaurants?
Because of the location, and because Social is a nightclub, Jeffrey tries to attract a younger crowd--say 25-35. The restaurant is fun...lots of bright colors. It looks like the inside of a citrus fruit. I call it a bistro gourmand. It's not cheap food, but it's simple and unpretentious. Roasted chicken with garlic is a popular dish.

Speaking of the food, is there any carryover from Citronelle?
I used recipes from Central [in Washington DC] and Citronelle. Also, there are recipes from my new cookbook, Happy in the Kitchen. It's light food; we don't use tons of butter. And it has to be fun. We have a dish on the menu that looks like a can of caviar, but it's made of risotto and squid ink. There's no old food French here... I like to create surprise.

What's harder, cooking for Capitol Hill politicians or Hollywood producers?
Both are fun. The thing I really like about LA is, they have the right to bring the beautiful ladies. That makes me very happy. I flirt with them. The politicians, they are very careful, and very serious.

Where might we see you shopping for food these days?
I go shopping in different Chinese markets--to Bangkok Market on Melrose to find different spices. And you're going to see me in the Santa Monica farmers market on Saturday and Wednesday.