Andrew Kirschner is the Executive Chef at Wilshire Restaurant in Santa Monica. A quintessentially Californian restaurant, Wilshire’s menu is all about using the best local, organic and seasonable ingredients that are cultivated sustainably and found in our area farmer’s markets.

I feel as though we accomplish this balance by staying local, organic, and sustainable through relationships with the local farmers while at the same time not being afraid to source particular specialty items from further abroad, assuming that the carbon footprint is minimal and the values of those particular farmers still fall in line with our beliefs. Examples of these items would be Anson Mills artisan polenta from South Carolina, or the world’s best hazelnuts from Trufflebert Farms in Oregon.

You’ve worked in a lot of the best-known kitchens around town—Joe’s, Axe, Chadwick, Lucques, Table 8—what is different about yours? What elements have you brought with you from your experiences at those other places?

The biggest difference is the Asian influence on my menu. Aside from Eos restaurant in San Francisco, where I learned Asian cooking techniques, my Los Angeles experience prior to Wilshire was more focused on straightforward farm-fresh California cuisine. There is no doubt, however, that the training I received in Los Angeles was invaluable in regards to ingredients and technique. Having the privelege of being trained by some of the best chefs in LA honed my skills and helped me find my own cooking style.

You are a native Angeleno. Are you happy to have settled back in your hometown with your own restaurant? Is there something that drew you back here after college in Colorado and your time at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco?

Absolutely thrilled. I feel I will always be an Angeleno. I love this city. I love the myriad of cultures that surround us. It provides me with a constant outlet of exploration, both in food and culture. I was originally drawn back to LA to be closer to my family, but now I feel fully grounded in the cooking community and don’t see myself cooking anywhere else. I plan on being a fixture of the culinary community in Los Angeles for years to come!

What is your favorite dish to make on your menu? What’s your favorite one to eat?

The Whole Fried Thai Snapper is my favorite one to make. I was about 10 years old when I first ate a similar style dish. It always conjures up those early childhood memories of loving food! (Perhaps an early sign I would someday become a chef.) My favorite dish to eat right now is the heirloom tomato and burrata salad. Nothing speaks more of the season than heirloom tomatoes accompanied by a local burrata cheese. That equals summer perfection!

When you go out to eat, where do you go?

I love exploring the off-the-beaten-path cuisines of Los Angeles. I love going to Little Tokyo and finding new sushi spots. Koreatown for its barbecue, Chinatown for dim sum, and a great bowl of curry in Thai Town. Outside of the diverse ethnic food, I always enjoy exploring other chefs’ work. The two most memorable meals I have eaten lately were prepared by Julia Wolfson at Ammo restaurant in Hollywood, and by Octavio Becerra at his new restaurant, Palate Food + Wine in Glendale. Both amazing chefs doing great work!

Since you develop your menu around seasonal ingredients, can you give us a little preview of what might be coming up for fall?

There is no question I will be unveiling a new pot pie dish. I had a lot of fun with the Duck Pot Pie that was on the opening menu, and it was well received by the customers. I can’t imagine not doing another version come the fall. Perhaps this time around the pot pie might include rabbit and cauliflower.