Chef Brian Bornemann and interdisciplinary artist Leena Culhane met smack dab in the middle of 2020 in Santa Monica’s Hotchkiss Park. Unbeknownst to them their paths had crossed invisibly numerous times in the ten years since they attended UCLA together. The two Westsiders quickly bonded over their love of surfing, sustainability, and simple, honest food.
Bornemann, formerly the Executive Chef at Michael’s, The Tasting Kitchen, and farm-to-table pioneer, Potager, is no stranger to embracing local, seasonal ingredients. Culhane, a musician and artist, spent the last decade exploring natural wines and genuine hospitality working as a bartender between tours from her home bases in Los Angeles and Nashville, Tennessee.
In a year of great challenge and seemingly unanswerable questions, the two creatives felt inspired to take matters into their own hands, using the mental and physical space available to create Crudo e Nudo, an Italian-inspired raw bar and pandemic pop-up. With “The Birth of Venus” serving as a metaphorical true north of inspiration, Crudo e Nudo was likewise born of turbulent seas to offer something beautiful. Sourcing local fish from sustainable purveyors, the two began hosting vibrant, socially distant evenings from Venice to Echo Park while utilizing the outdoor spaces of new partnerships - primarily bars looking to add a culinary component to keep their own operations afloat. This spirit of communities supporting one another and environmentally-minded practices became the heart of Crudo e Nudo.
And so, we offer up our pearl - an approachable and safe experience for people to access delicious and dynamic ingredients from farmers markets and local fisheries, while aiming for minimal waste and, soon, zero plastics. We believe that it’s our responsibility to create the future we want to see: one where small businesses work together to build a sustainable economy that feeds our community in many ways. We offer what we know, from the herbs grown by our long-term partners at the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market to the seafood caught by our friends. We are building this company on trust, transparency, our connection to our community, and our ethical responsibility to this planet.
To this end, Crudo e Nudo is excited to announce the opening of our first permanent location on Main Street in Santa Monica this April. We will be offering refined versions of pop up favorites, as well as dishes inspired by the strength of relationships that Brian has built throughout his career with fishermen and farmers. Dessert will highlight Leena’s side hustle, Crème Fatale: organic, five ingredient ice cream utilizing herbs and flowers from her garden. The lineup will also feature plates that rotate with the micro-seasons of Southern California, including coastal takes on raw bar classics, as well as a tasting menu because hot damn, you deserve it. With safety as the top priority, tables will be limited with staggered reservations available through Resy. We look forward to taking good care of you.
Big love,
Leena + Brian
