Photo by John Douglas Photography.
When COVID shut the doors of fine dining, chef Tony Esnault and restaurateur Yassmin Sarmadi turned resilience into reward—earning a Michelin star for Knife Pleat in the middle of a global crisis.
We came out of the pandemic in 2021 with a Michelin star,” Yassmin Sarmadi, co-owner of Knife Pleat and wife of Michelin-starred chef Tony Esnault, says. Considering the trials and tribulations many restaurants faced during the pandemic, this outcome came as a major surprise and honor for the restaurant entrepreneurs. It’s a testament to the abundance of creativity and quality Knife Pleat exhibits with its cuisine and tells the story of true resilience and passion during such an unprecedented time in history.
Esnault has been surrounded by French cooking since he was a child. “I was born in France,” Esnault shares, “and spent most of my vacations as a kid at my grandparents’ farm, surrounded by chickens, ducks, cows, and vegetables—no pesticides, everything organic. I’ve always had a big connection with produce and food.”
Photo by John Douglas Photography.
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His culinary path took him through France’s most prestigious kitchens, including L’Auberge de L’Ill (three Michelin stars) and Le Carré des Feuillants (two Michelin stars) where he learned the intricacies of French cooking from many different regions, his favorite of which being the cuisine style he learned during his time in Monaco.
“I fell in love with the light, simple, focused cooking of the South of France, with the bounty of the ocean—multi-fish, octopus, everything was fantastic,” he says.
Photo by John Dole
His fruitful career eventually led him to the U.S., where he worked at the Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco, Boston and New York, where he earned three and two Michelin stars as Chef de Cuisine for Alain Ducasse. After his time in New York, Esnault decided to accept a job in Los Angeles at Patina, where he met his now wife, Sarmadi.
Sarmadi’s path began in an entirely different theater—literally. “My background is in theater, not in restaurants,” she says. “But restaurant work really is theater, and it transitioned well.” Born in Iran and raised in Southern California, Sarmadi fell in love with restaurants as a child, and during her years in restaurant finance, it became clear to her that she wanted to pursue a career in hospitality. “I didn’t have connections except as a diner, but I loved restaurants, and it was something I’d always loved.”
She eventually opened Church & State in downtown LA in 2008, transforming the loading dock of the original National Biscuit Company building into a bustling French bistro, despite skeptics. “People told me I’d never make it,” Sarmadi recalls. “But within the first year, the restaurant blew up, and we were getting local, national, and international press.”
It was at Church & State that Esnault and Sarmadi’s professional paths aligned, though they had already spent time together personally. “We met in 2011, and when the chef de cuisine was leaving, Tony said, ‘I’ll help you.’ After joking that the food we cooked at Church & State was the same caliber of food he made as a child, he came on board and never left.”
Their next venture, Spring, reflected a lighter, Southern French style. “Spring was different—bright, open, filled with natural light, a fountain, and pepper trees,” Sarmadi explains. “The cuisine was seafood and vegetables, very much influenced by Tony’s time in Monaco.”
Photo by John Douglas Photography.
The duo’s move to Knife Pleat came when South Coast Plaza approached them, a rare case of everything aligning. “Everything fell into place,” Yassmin says. They opened Knife Pleat in 2019 with a full à la carte menu and tasting menus, only to be halted months later by COVID-19. “We weren’t doing takeout. We didn’t really know what to do,” Sarmadi says.
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Photo courtesy of Knife Pleat.
Innovation, however, became their lifeline. They transformed a terrace garden into an outdoor dining room, serving one tasting menu once a week. “After about two weeks, we were sold out every week,” Sarmadi says. “It was like being in France in the summertime.”
In September 2021, Knife Pleat received an unexpected call from Michelin. “They said, ‘We have set up this call to tell you that you are receiving a Michelin star for 2021,’” Sarmadi recalls. “It was the last thing we expected because we didn’t even know Michelin was back.”
Esnault’s response was succinct yet profound: “It felt very good, it was an incredible accomplishment.”
Photo courtesy of Knife Pleat.
“It’s like getting an Oscar for us,” Sarmadi adds. “It’s what you hope for, and to be awarded it when you least expect it is that much more rewarding.”
Today, Knife Pleat operates solely with tasting menus—one at lunch, two at dinner—striving for precision and consistency in what they serve. “Consistency is one of the most difficult things to achieve in a restaurant,” Sarmadi explains. “Every day is a new day, and maintaining that level of excellence while running a profitable business is the real challenge.”
As for what’s next, Esnault’s goals are clear: “It’s always good to challenge yourself, so who knows, maybe one day we’ll get two stars.”
Until then, the focus remains steadfast. “We work towards quality, consistency and true hospitality every day,” Sarmadi says. “That’s what it’s all about at the end of the day—sharing our talent and creating the best possible experience for our guests.”
Dining and Cooking