The Gallery Restaurant in Westlake Village, California: Meet the Chef

WRITTEN BY 5 REASONS TO VISIT® EDITORIAL STAFF

PUBLISHED JULY 2022 • 4 min read

5 Reasons to Visit® sat down with Executive Chef Karim Megji of The Gallery Restaurant in Westlake Village, California.

Executive Chef Karim Megji of The Gallery Restaurant in Westlake Village, California

Where did you grow up, and where have you traveled to that has helped inspire and shape your cooking philosophy? 

I was born and raised in Los Angeles, but my family has a very diverse background. I am Indian, but both of my parents were born in different parts of East Africa. As a child I was constantly exposed to different flavors, spices, and cooking styles that you wouldn’t typically find at your average los angeles home. That upbringing has a definite reflection in our menu, taking some classic dishes, and adding flavors you wouldn’t typically find to enhance the overall dish.

The Gallery Restaurant in Westlake Village, California

Tell our readers an interesting fact or two about yourself.

I have had the privilege of living in three different countries. The United States, Greece and Spain.

Tell us about your absolute favorite food and why readers should try it if they haven’t already.

Tom Kha Gai! To me it is the ultimate comfort food. It is warm and filling, but doesn’t leave you feeling like you need to take a nap if you indulge too much. Who doesn’t love coconut, lemongrass and chicken!?

The Gallery Restaurant in Westlake Village, California

What are three ingredients that you simply couldn’t live without? 

Heirloom tomatoes, burrata and prime New York steaks. I know every chef says ribeye is the best steak, but I always seem to find myself grabbing a New York instead. I could have those three ingredients for any meal and be happy.

We love the art behind plating. What do you love about designing the perfect dish?

Plating helps visually show the time and effort you put into a dish, sometimes you create a plate, and it looks so good that you don’t want to touch it, you want to frame it. It is nice that everyone has a camera in their pocket now, so you can take a picture of the plate and then dig into the food.

The Gallery Restaurant in Westlake Village, California

Tell us about one of the most creative dishes you’ve created?

A take on carbonara, where we put a whole egg yolk in ravioli, then topped with bacon liaison. It tasted excellent, but is definitely very rich and filling. A hard dish to serve in a restaurant because your customers are full after 3 bites.

Share your most recent awards and accreditations with us?

Ever since we opened The Gallery Restaurant, we have been named yearly by OpenTable as users choice as best restaurant, best food, and best service in Ventura County.

The Gallery Restaurant in Westlake Village, California

What are some of the latest trends you’re seeing in top restaurants across the globe?

With rising cost we are seeing a lot of chefs use proteins and products that were traditionally know as “peasant food” but using those products and elevating it into something delicious.

What’s your favorite cocktail or beverage of choice?

Any one who knows me will tell you I am a gin martini guy. I love that gin had a resurgence, and every place you go will have a great selection of quality gins. Each one is so different, that you can have the same cocktail, but switching the gin makes it completely different.

What do you love about being the Executive Chef of The Gallery Restaurant in Westlake Village, California?

I love that we’ve become a place where we can execute elevated food in a non-pretentious environment.