Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/57654
Will Karges co-owner, The Six, Studio City, CA THE 1 2 LIST Will Karges's Top Six Faves The sound and feeling of your restaurant running smoothly Burrata cheese. Recently I've been playing with it on our fl atbreads like the Pear, Burrata and Crispy Prosciutto fl atbread. An upscale take on Hawaiian pizza if you will! 3 4 Cooking with a wood burning oven. It adds a rusticity to dishes that can't be achieved by any other means. Optimism. A happy, upbeat staff goes a long way in this industry. Customers appreciate a lively atmosphere – it's contagious. 6 5 Mer Soleil "Silver" Chardonnay Collaborating with chef and nailing the perfect dish. With someone there to bounce ideas around with, you're exposed to a whole new way of thinking, and it teaches you things you never knew before. photos by Marshall Swerman W hen bar/restaurant concept The Six opened its second loca- tion in a high-end strip mall in L.A.'s Studio City neighbor- hood, the mall's prohibitive liquor licensing (no hard liquor) couldn't keep this vibrant eatery down: Their beer and wine program is exceptional. Co-owner Will Karges opened his fi rst restaurant, Johnnie's New York Pizzeria, at just 22 years old. He has since owned and operated 15 restaurants, including Jones Hollywood, Rix in Santa Monica and Santa Monica breakfast spot Blueberry. After fl ying below the radar for a few years, Karges is back with new restaurant The Six—the original in West L.A. and its new San Fernando Valley sibling—rustic yet refi ned establishments that embody lessons learned and appeal to the bohemian in everyone. In fact, Karges comes from an artistic background, and his instincts for design led to a texturally stimulating atmosphere at The Six. Suede-framed mirrors, shiny resin-topped tables and leather banquettes lend depth, while vertical sconces collaged with idols from the '50s and '60s add whimsy. The restaurant is named after The Society of Six, a sextet of Northern Californian painters—the forefathers of the California impressionist movement—who often met at their Oakland-based "Chow House" to enjoy homemade meals, wines and brews during 1920s Prohibition. The Six is a loving tribute, its cuisine inspired by the creativity and agricultural plenty of Northern California, particu- larly the locavore movement and experimental food trendists from Berkeley and San Francisco. 122 / the tasting panel / march 2012 2 Will Karges's Top Six Pet Peeves 1 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Negativity or pessimism. It won't get you anywhere. Thinking on the bright side opens up a treasure trove of pos- sibility and can lead you to some pretty exciting places. Customers who don't tip. It's the equivalent of not saying "thank you." Tipping is not only standard procedure, but it's also just the polite thing to do. 3 4 An empty restaurant: For a restaura- teur, this is heartbreaking to see. Inconsistency. Whether it's in your dishes or your service – you can't build loyal clientele unless you're reliable. 5 Mediocrity. In this business landing somewhere in the middle isn't going to cut it. 6 Laziness. I won't tolerate it from my staff. When you let the details get sloppy – that becomes your downfall. " 6 " Taking Inventory with. . .