If you’re looking for an upscale Italian restaurant that offers a warm, homey atmosphere, Jame Enoteca is the place for you. The menu is filled with Southern Italian fare such as beef cheek scaprinocc paired with the 12-year balsamico. In addition to the delicious dishes, the restaurant is also known for its excellent service and knowledgeable staff. This article will introduce you to Chef Jackson Kalb and Front of House veteran Melissa Saka.
Pasta
When the acclaimed El Segundo, California, the restaurant opened in June 2018, it was called a “Pasta Prodigy.” Jackson Kalb started his own catering business when he was twelve years old and apprenticed at the famed Melisse restaurant during high school. His culinary journey also included stints at Grant Achatz’s Alinea in Chicago and Joel Robuchon’s Alinea in Las Vegas. Now he’s ready to open his second restaurant in Venice, where the menu is reminiscent of a destination warehouse restaurant.
A line-up of scrumptious dishes awaits you at Jame Enoteca, a small, cozy restaurant with excellent service and delicious Italian cuisine. This Italian-inspired restaurant combines the classics with California-inspired fusion cuisine. The warm, inviting atmosphere of the restaurant is a welcome surprise. Within fifteen minutes of opening, tables were filled with customers spilling over the sidewalk. Parking is plentiful and free, and the restaurant is close to the El Segundo mini-mall.
The menu changes often, so you might want to order ahead of time, so you’ll be assured that your food will arrive on time. Order a pasta dish from Jame’s menu online. You can also choose from sandwiches, salads, and veggie options. The menu is extensive and diverse. For example, the restaurant offers gnocchi made of pastrami and ricotta. It’s not a typical restaurant in this neighborhood.
Jame Enoteca’s menu features seasonal dishes and hyper-seasonal ingredients. Its chefs have worked at Michelin-starred kitchens, so the dishes change frequently. Hand-rolled pasta, roasted meat and fish, and a variety of salads are available. The restaurant also serves classic Italian sandwiches and brunch. The pasta is always topped with fresh ingredients. When the restaurant opens, it’s likely to be crowded. Jame Enoteca’s upcoming brunch menu is likely to become an instant hit.
Southern Italian cooking
Jame Enoteca is the South Bay’s “it” Italian destination. Located in an El Segundo strip mall, the tavern serves authentic Italian cuisine and hand-rolled pasta. Its chef hails from a Michelin-starred kitchen, and the menu changes seasonally. Expect to see hand-rolled pasta, roasted local vegetables and meat, and fish. In addition to its traditional Italian dishes, Jame also serves brunch and classic Italian sandwiches.
In addition to her restaurant and cookbook business, Akunowicz has also created a fresh pasta company, called Fox Pasta, which ships handmade pasta to stores Nationwide. And she is currently working on her second restaurant, Bar Volpe, which focuses on wood-fired southern Italian cuisine. Akunowicz has been featured on CBS’s Saturday “The Dish” series, the Today Show, and People Magazine.
The pier has tanks full of fish, crabs, and shellfish. The menu changes with the seasons and the chefs are known for using locally-sourced ingredients. Located in El Segundo, Jame Enoteca serves Southern Italian cuisine, including pasta. For dinner, you’ll want to wear business casual to elegant attire. A wine list will be available soon. In the meantime, enjoy the delicious ragu, hand-rolled pasta, and charcuterie.
The enoteca’s menu is made with the help of eight Italian grandmothers who are used to working in a restaurant setting. The grandmothers are experienced in cooking for a crowd and are not shy about it. Besides, they’ve had enough of husbands nitpicking their dishes. The chefs are also proud of the fact that their recipes have won awards. With these awards, the food is delicious and makes for great conversations with friends and family.
Chef Jackson Kalb’s culinary journey
When he opened Jame Enoteca in June of 2018, chef Jackson Kalb was already being called a “Pasta Prodigy.” At age 12, he began his first catering business. He apprenticed at Josiah Citrin’s Melisse before starting his own business. While in high school, he staged at restaurants like Joel Robuchon’s and Grant Achatz’s Alinea. His culinary journey has taken him from the West Coast to Europe, but he is based in Los Angeles.
A native Angeleno, Jackson Kalb is the owner of Jame Enoteca in El Segundo, California. He began working in restaurants at a young age, starting weekends and holidays at the Melisse Restaurant in Santa Monica. From there, he went on to complete his culinary studies at Cornell University’s school of hotel administration, where he was trained by renowned chefs such as Joel Robuchon. In addition to his current restaurant, he has plans to open another restaurant, Gemma di Mare, in 2022.
In addition to being a Top Chef alum, Kalb has faced a series of challenges during his career. During his run on the fifth season of the competition, he contracted the COVID-19 virus. While he didn’t lose his Top Chef spot, he lost his sense of smell and taste. The virus he caught has changed his life. He now hopes to recreate the dishes he couldn’t taste while competing in Restaurant Wars.
Besides his restaurant, Jackson Kalb is involved in several other kitchens in Los Angeles. He runs the popular strip mall restaurant Jame Enoteca and his Venice Italian hotspot Ospi with his wife, Melissa. He also studied hotel administration at Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration. He spent time working in Michelin-starred kitchens, including Joel Robuchon’s in Las Vegas.
Front of house veteran Melissa Saka
As the co-owner of Jame Enoteca and Ospi in Venice, front-of-house veteran Melissa Saka has a unique background. She started working in the hospitality industry during college and worked as a host at the Cheesecake Factory. Before she joined Jame, she was a pre-med student at UCLA. She has a natural nurturing nature and has volunteered at Mattel Children’s Hospital.