A wave of success
Life
Los Angeles
A wave of success
IMAGES: NATALIE COMPTON
For popular chef Louis Tikaram, life is all about finding a balance between work, health and play – with plenty of surfing thrown in for good measure
It’s not often that you meet someone who gets dreamy-eyed talking about waking up at five in the morning. But what sounds like a painfully early wake-up call for most is Los Angelesbased chef Louis Tikaram’s idea of a perfect start to the day. Hitting the road before sunrise allows the avid surfer to catch the morning’s first waves, as well as avoid the infamous bumper-tobumper LA traffic. “When we get up at five we can be in Huntington in 20 minutes, be at Trestles in under an hour and be at Malibu and in the water in 40 minutes,” says Tikaram, rattling off a list of beloved Southern Californian beaches and surf spots. Tikaram grew up in Mullumbimby, a coastal city in New South Wales, Australia. His father taught him how to surf when Tikaram was six, planting the seeds for a lifelong passion for the sport. Surfing Malibu’s iconic breaks has always been on his bucket list, and that fantasy finally became a reality when he moved to the States two years ago to become the executive chef of West Hollywood hotspot E.P. & L.P. “For me and my wife, it feels like we’re still on that vacation high,” Tikaram says. “Every weekend we’ll experience something brand new. You still get that rush and you still finish the day going, ‘Ah, that was awesome.’”
M A B U H AY | F E B R UA RY 2 0 1 7
31
Life
But surfing also serves a greater purpose for Tikaram, as he’s found the Pacific Ocean to be the perfect backdrop for productive brainstorming. “Out there it’s just you, the water and an amazing view. You can really clear your head and come up with cool stuff,” he says. “That’s where I get ideas for a lot of dishes, a lot of menus, a lot of events.” The method seems to be working for Tikaram. His innovative and mouthwatering dishes, influenced by his Fijian-Australian heritage and California’s rich bounty of fresh produce, are what allow E.P & L.P. to stand out from the crowded LA dining scene. On the menu you’ll find hot and sour beef tartare with crunchy cassava and rice crackers, Fijian style ceviche with fresh coconut milk and crispy chicken skin with black vinegar. Tikaram is also quick to credit local farmers for his restaurant’s success. After he goes surfing at Rincon – a beautiful point break at the Santa Barbara county line – he loves to visit Coleman Family Farm in the nearby town of Carpenteria. Not only does the Coleman family grow hard-to-find Asian vegetables for E.P. & L.P., the matriarch, Delia Coleman, takes the time to spoil guests with her famed Filipino cooking. “If you go up for a farm visit, she’ll make a whole Filipino spread with
“Out there it’s just you, the water and an amazing view. That’s where I get ideas for a lot of dishes, menus and events”
amazing dishes like bitter melon and pork soup, Filipino fried rice and lechon,” Tikaram says. If he hasn’t planned a post-surfing farm visit, he’ll often head to Bondi Beach – a new café in Santa Monica that serves hearty and healthy dishes like smashed avocado toast and chopped kale salad. In true LA fashion, Tikaram has always challenged the stereotype that the chef’s lifestyle is automatically unhealthy. “Being a chef, you can get stuck in a vicious cycle, feeling a bit sorry for yourself because you work such long hours,” he says. Early-morning surf sessions and activities like weekly running routines with his kitchen staff serve to break that cycle. “You’ve got far more energy at 11pm if you’ve worked up a sweat in the morning, rather than sleeping in.” A few months ago, Tikaram’s life changed with the birth of his first child, Maëlle. The milestone reinforced his dedication to wellness, and added a new challenge to his ever-evolving bucket list. “I’m already envisioning teaching my daughter how to surf and play basketball,” he says. “I want to be a healthy dad. I want to be there for her, just as my dad was there with me in the surf, teaching me how to ride the waves.” eplosangeles.com – Natalie B. Compton
MM AA BB UU HH AY A Y| |F EJ A BN RUARY 2017
31 3 5
Los Angeles
A wave of success
IMAGES: NATALIE COMPTON
For popular chef Louis Tikaram, life is all about finding a balance between work, health and play – with plenty of surfing thrown in for good measure
It’s not often that you meet someone who gets dreamy-eyed talking about waking up at five in the morning. But what sounds like a painfully early wake-up call for most is Los Angelesbased chef Louis Tikaram’s idea of a perfect start to the day. Hitting the road before sunrise allows the avid surfer to catch the morning’s first waves, as well as avoid the infamous bumper-tobumper LA traffic. “When we get up at five we can be in Huntington in 20 minutes, be at Trestles in under an hour and be at Malibu and in the water in 40 minutes,” says Tikaram, rattling off a list of beloved Southern Californian beaches and surf spots. Tikaram grew up in Mullumbimby, a coastal city in New South Wales, Australia. His father taught him how to surf when Tikaram was six, planting the seeds for a lifelong passion for the sport. Surfing Malibu’s iconic breaks has always been on his bucket list, and that fantasy finally became a reality when he moved to the States two years ago to become the executive chef of West Hollywood hotspot E.P. & L.P. “For me and my wife, it feels like we’re still on that vacation high,” Tikaram says. “Every weekend we’ll experience something brand new. You still get that rush and you still finish the day going, ‘Ah, that was awesome.’”
M A B U H AY | F E B R UA RY 2 0 1 7
31
Life
But surfing also serves a greater purpose for Tikaram, as he’s found the Pacific Ocean to be the perfect backdrop for productive brainstorming. “Out there it’s just you, the water and an amazing view. You can really clear your head and come up with cool stuff,” he says. “That’s where I get ideas for a lot of dishes, a lot of menus, a lot of events.” The method seems to be working for Tikaram. His innovative and mouthwatering dishes, influenced by his Fijian-Australian heritage and California’s rich bounty of fresh produce, are what allow E.P & L.P. to stand out from the crowded LA dining scene. On the menu you’ll find hot and sour beef tartare with crunchy cassava and rice crackers, Fijian style ceviche with fresh coconut milk and crispy chicken skin with black vinegar. Tikaram is also quick to credit local farmers for his restaurant’s success. After he goes surfing at Rincon – a beautiful point break at the Santa Barbara county line – he loves to visit Coleman Family Farm in the nearby town of Carpenteria. Not only does the Coleman family grow hard-to-find Asian vegetables for E.P. & L.P., the matriarch, Delia Coleman, takes the time to spoil guests with her famed Filipino cooking. “If you go up for a farm visit, she’ll make a whole Filipino spread with
“Out there it’s just you, the water and an amazing view. That’s where I get ideas for a lot of dishes, menus and events”
amazing dishes like bitter melon and pork soup, Filipino fried rice and lechon,” Tikaram says. If he hasn’t planned a post-surfing farm visit, he’ll often head to Bondi Beach – a new café in Santa Monica that serves hearty and healthy dishes like smashed avocado toast and chopped kale salad. In true LA fashion, Tikaram has always challenged the stereotype that the chef’s lifestyle is automatically unhealthy. “Being a chef, you can get stuck in a vicious cycle, feeling a bit sorry for yourself because you work such long hours,” he says. Early-morning surf sessions and activities like weekly running routines with his kitchen staff serve to break that cycle. “You’ve got far more energy at 11pm if you’ve worked up a sweat in the morning, rather than sleeping in.” A few months ago, Tikaram’s life changed with the birth of his first child, Maëlle. The milestone reinforced his dedication to wellness, and added a new challenge to his ever-evolving bucket list. “I’m already envisioning teaching my daughter how to surf and play basketball,” he says. “I want to be a healthy dad. I want to be there for her, just as my dad was there with me in the surf, teaching me how to ride the waves.” eplosangeles.com – Natalie B. Compton
MM AA BB UU HH AY A Y| |F EJ A BN RUARY 2017
31 3 5
