Mary Sue Milliken is a renowned and accomplished chef and restauranter known for her innovative approach to Mexican cuisine. Having developed her passion for cooking at a young age, she went on to train at the Washburne Culinary Institute in Chicago before working in a few different restaurants across the US. In 1981, Mary Sue teamed up with Susan Feniger, a fellow chef and restauranteur where they went on to open their first restaurant, City Cafe, in LA.
Their collaboration flourished and they now have several popular Los Angeles restaurants under their belt, including Border Grill, Ciudad, and Socalo – all of which are highly popular and sought after thanks to their divine menus, fresh ingredients and fantastic ambience. As well as her restaurant ventures, Mary Sue Milliken has written an array of cookbooks such as ‘City Cuisine’ and ‘Mesa Mexicana’ as well as appeared on cookery shows such as Too Hot Tamales. We recently caught up with Mary Sue to find out more about her chef experience, Santa Monica, where Socalo is based and the importance of sustainability in the kitchen.
Santa Monica is known for its diverse culinary scene. How do you incorporate various cultural influences into your dishes?
I am endlessly curious and always learning about new techniques and ingredients from different cultures, and it is easy to use that knowledge at Socalo which is our Southern California Mexican gastropub situated within Santa Monica’s Gateway Hotel.
What local ingredients from the area do you enjoy working with the most, and why?
I love that our farming community who show up at our famed markets, citywide, are always experimenting with interesting, new, and exciting varieties of produce. The last few years, the abundance of multiple kinds of chicories has blown me away. Escaroles, puntarelle, dandelion, frisee, have all been off the charts. We are also spoiled with amazing citruses like kumquats and limequats.
With health-conscious dining on the rise, how do you balance flavour and nutrition in your dishes?
I just take it as a challenge to create dishes that are irresistible in flavor without any hidden nutritional “bad guys.” I approach every meal with an 80/20 lens, where 80% of the dish is plant-based and 20% is meat or cheese. That is always in my head when I am creating a dish or menu.
Santa Monica is a trendsetting city. What culinary trends are you currently excited about, and how are you integrating them into your menu?
Anything with crispy cheese. At Socalo, we make delicious Vampiro tacos where we griddle the cheese on the tortilla first to get it nice and golden brown, and then add the steak, shrimp, and other accompaniments. We also fry cubes of cheese and turn them into croutons for our kale Caesar salad.
Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in the culinary world. How do you practice sustainability in your kitchen and restaurant operations?
We are lucky to be in Santa Monica, which supports sustainable practices in restaurants. Our to-go containers are compostable, we keep our menu plant-heavy, and source our ingredients from local markets.
How do you navigate the challenges of sourcing ingredients locally while maintaining the quality and consistency of your dishes?
A chef has a responsibility to adapt to local ingredients which are never consistent because weather and humans are not consistent. If you are a good chef, and intimately engaged with product, you are able to adapt and alter things on the fly to still make a spectacular dish.
Have you ever had any kitchen disasters?
Too many to list. Most recently, at a catering gig, a new chef bought a different kind of plantain for our plantain empanadas, and instead of frying up as they have for the last several decades, they disintegrated when they hit the pan. Luckily, we could run back to the restaurant and get a replacement. Disasters are a part of the job.
As a local, what are some of your hidden gems in Santa Monica?
Some of my personal favorite foodie spots include Xuntos, a Spanish tapas bar in the heart of the city, Interstellar, offering unique Korean and American fusion dishes and Cobi’s Southeast Asian cuisine that was Michelin Guide Listed 2023. There are also great alternatives for vegans such as BERBERE which serves plant-based dishes with an Ethiopian twist.
To anyone visiting Santa Monica for the first time, what’s some advice you would give them?
Try to save time every day to visit the beach early in the morning or at sunset for a stroll. Bring your appetite, as there are plenty of fabulous places to eat. If you like hiking like I do, there are some great trails in the Santa Monica mountains.
You can find out more about Mary Sue Milliken here, and more about Santa Monica here. Don’t forget to also check out our recent trip to Santa Monica, our travel guide has all you need to know about how to get the most from your visit!
