Here's Looking at You, a celebrated Koreatown restaurant known for its innovative cuisine and cocktails, will close on June 13, nearly a decade after it opened. The decision to shut down was primarily influenced by the death of its beloved chef Jonathan Whitener, who passed away in 2024. His loss affected restaurateur Lien Ta deeply, leading her to realize that continuing without him didn't feel right. While they faced post-pandemic challenges like reduced business, the trust and synergy between Ta and Whitener were central to the restaurant's identity.
The truth is that I created this restaurant with Jonathan, and he's eternally my collaborator. We are missing our leader. Signing on for another five-year lease doesn't make sense when your leader is gone.
Jonathan Gold characterized his cooking as 'strong flavors, jolts of acidity and torn Asian herbs, and a tendency to stuff hints of umami almost everywhere it might conceivably belong.'
With chef's passing, I couldn't really see how we were going to continue. The loss of business post-pandemic also contributed, but it was mainly the loss of Whitener.
Eating his food, lifted my soul. He could be the chef I'd been looking for: someone to partner in a restaurant.
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