Suzanne Goin is one of the defining figures of modern California cuisine, known for shaping a distinctly Los Angeles style rooted in seasonality, restraint, and quiet confidence. Born and raised in LA by Francophile, food-obsessed parents, Goin developed an early fluency in both American and European culinary traditions—a duality that would later define her cooking.
After graduating from Brown University, she built a formidable foundation in some of the most influential kitchens of the late 20th century, including Ma Maison and L’Orangerie in Los Angeles, Chez Panisse in Berkeley, Al Forno in Providence, Olives in Boston, and Alain Passard’s Arpège in Paris. Her tenure as executive chef at Campanile helped put her on the national map and set the stage for her next chapter as a restaurateur.
In 1998, Goin partnered with Caroline Styne to open Lucques in West Hollywood. The restaurant quickly became a benchmark for market-driven California cooking and earned Goin a spot as one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs in 1999. Their collaboration expanded with the opening of A.O.C. in 2002, a pioneering wine-focused restaurant that helped redefine small-plates dining in Los Angeles. In 2024, A.O.C. was inducted into the Los Angeles Times Restaurant Hall of Fame.
Over the years, Goin has earned multiple James Beard Awards, including Outstanding Chef in 2016, and has been recognized for her leadership as both a chef and restaurateur. Her cookbooks, Sunday Suppers at Lucques and The A.O.C. Cookbook, reflect her ingredient-driven philosophy and enduring influence.
Beyond the kitchen, Goin is deeply involved in advocacy and philanthropy, from co-founding L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade to supporting school lunch reform and restaurant relief efforts nationwide. She continues to shape Los Angeles dining through The Lucques Group, balancing legacy with evolution.
