Dining Hot Restaurant Personalities 2006

We've always been attracted to something less stereotypical than skin. We get heated up by authenticity. And skill. Many of these hot restaurant personalities are chefs, some are managers, some entrepreneurs, and some are members of an exceptionally pleasant waitstaff. They all have one thing in common: Day after day, night after night, they work really hard to bring Angelenos fantastic dining experiences. Oh wait, two things in common: They're not bad to look at, either. (Don't see your favorites? Chances are they popped up in the 2005 or 2004 edition.) —Lonny Pugh

Ben Ford at Ford's Filling Station

Son of actor Harrison, Ford clearly fills a neighborhood need with his long-in-the-works Culver City gastropub. The bar is packed with waiting diners almost every night, many of whom sneak glimpses of Ford in the open kitchen at the back.

Dakota Weiss at Tower Bar

At press time, Weiss told us she'd be leaving her post at The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey to overhaul the menus at Tower Bar and The Terrace, the two dining spots within the Sunset Tower hotel on the Strip. We can't wait to try them out—and to watch besuited agents check her out on the sly.

Robert Lee at Square One Dining

Bravery is enticing: Lee serves splendid breakfast and lunch in a remote Fountain Avenue location notable only for its proximity to the behemoth Scientology Center.

Greg and Joanna Perlman at West

This brother-and-sister duo owns the Hotel Angeleno's penthouse restaurant; Joanna, the younger sibling, is responsible for the building's new look. Good genes.

Mikayel Israyelyan at Republic

Back off, ladies. The dapper visionary (check out that suit in the photo gallery!) behind this ginormous restaurant is married, and his wife is expecting child number three this spring.

Josh and Kate Evans at The CrepeVine Bistro & Wine Bar

Seriously, we just want to hug this sweet-natured married couple every time we see them. Is that weird?

The Waitstaff at BLD

In a city of tarty tableside snobs baring too much cleavage (and we're not just talking about the women), this is the friendly and fresh-faced waitstaff we'd take home to mom. Or, more accurately, BLD is where we'll bring her to lunch.

Charisse Older, Regan Walker and Gina Cano at Arnie Morton's

The Charlie's Angels of catering, each of these three stunners works directly with clients at a local Arnie Morton's outpost (Downtown, Beverly Hills and Burbank, respectively) to plan private-dining experiences and special events.

David Haskell and Matt Carpenter at BIN 8945

Haskell is the high-energy owner and wine expert who finds the time for weights and protein shakes when not doing laps in the small bistro; chef Carpenter appears to graciously accept compliments on his duff cake, inspired by his grandmother's recipe. Aww.

10.

The Anaya Brothers at Cha Cha Cha

Miguel, Javier, Jorge and Fernando Anaya guided the family-run Silver Lake restaurant to its 20th anniversary this August—this after expanding the brand to West Hollywood. Coming soon: The higher-end Anaya Cantina.

11.

Betty Fraser and Denise DeCarlo at Grub

Let's get this out of the way: They're not a couple. One visit to this favorite down-home brunch hut makes clear that these "Grub girls," as they call themselves, are playfully affectionate with everybody.

12.

Quinn and Karen Hatfield at Hatfield's

These married co-owners know how to share responsibility with style: He's the chef, and she's the pastry chef making sure the customers are happy. They are.

13.

Anders Thoren at La Maschera Ristorante & Enoteca

The Swedish wine director at this Tunisia-inspired Pasadena enclave is just 26 years old, but started tasting at 15. How very European.

14.

Lei Shishak at Luna Park

The pastry chef responsible for the deep-fried apple pie and the "dessert dim sum," served in a bamboo steamer with chopsticks, studied biochemistry at Bowdoin College before becoming a marketing exec at JP Morgan. A renaissance woman—we like it.

15.

Paul Shoemaker at Providence

The chef de cuisine really found his sea legs at that other venerable seafood institution, Downtown's Water Grill. When Michael Cimarusti left to open the widely hailed Providence, he invited Shoemaker along.

16.

Jane Lockhart at Sweet Lady Jane

The CEO, owner and executive pastry chef, the regal Lockhart this year opened a 7,000-square-foot Silver Lake kitchen that's only not cooking sweet treats about eight hours per week. That's how popular her wedding cakes are.

17.

Suzanne Tracht at Jar

The chef and co-owner of one of LA's favorite enduring steakhouses, Tracht fosters a community feeling despite being a nationally recognized personality with a face (and head) for TV. Those are her kids, Ida and Max, doing their homework at the table.

18.

Emiliano Manfren at Bridge

Wait, what were we saying? Many a La Cienega diner (and many an LA.com editor) has lost focus of the task at hand when greeted by this front-of-house man who made the switch from Koi across the street.

19.

David Comfort at Yamashiro

This breathtaking, everybody's-gotta-see-it-once restaurant is currently enjoying something of a renaissance. Comfort, the manager for two years, has certainly had a hand in that.

20.

Gregory Prol at The Backyard and Nine Thirty

Dear Gregory: We've heard several of your colleagues have crushes on you. Maybe it's the whole "tall, dapper surfer who caters to your every whim" thing. Which reminds us, thanks for switching the flat-screen to the baseball game we really had to see. Sincerely, LA.com.