Gabriela Gomez, a veteran of the Orange County dining scene, is showcasing her skills as a chef, butcher and baker, as the executive chef of the recently opened Griffin’s Kitchen + Bar.
Gomez, who started cooking professionally at age 16 in culinary competitions and at Haute Cakes in Newport Beach, comes to Griffin’s from Palenque Kitchen in Costa Mesa.
Her early career also includes a position at Pelican Hill Resort’s Andrea restaurant and the role of sous chef at al Bacio in West Hollywood.
Gomez previously worked for four years as chef de cuisine at Michelin-star Taco María in Costa Mesa, which closed its location at the SoCo Collection shopping center in 2023.
She left for New York City to work at the two Michelin-star Korean pastry kitchen Jungsik. Upon coming back to Orange County, she was also a butcher at Electric City Butcher in Santa Ana, which closed in early 2023. Griffin’s opened at 120 S. Brea Blvd. in early August next to the Brea Improv theater.
The concept was designed to combine traditional Mexican ingredients and contemporary California dining, according to co-founders and brothers Robert Griffin and Bill Tanner.
“I’m so thrilled for the opportunity to do what I love, which is not just to feed people but also fill in a gap in the Brea community for something different,” said Gomez.
“This menu is a showcase of the diverse skills I have cultivated as a chef, butcher, baker and menu creator. While our starting menu is incredibly approachable, I hope to earn the local community’s trust and continue to develop and expand the menu,” she added.
Anyone for Pork Chop Milanesa?
The starting menu includes dishes such as patatas bravas, esquites and pork chop milanesa.
“The elements we wanted to get right for Griffin’s begin with Chef Gomez, who shares our vision on food quality and dining experience first and foremost,” Tanner said.
The full-length bar will include a roster of high-quality tequila and mezcal spirits, California wines and wines sourced from Valle de Guadalupe in Baja California.
Griffin’s is the brothers’ fourth local restaurant business together. Other ventures include Gina Maria’s Pizza in Placentia and The Swig Bar + Grill in Fullerton.
