Los Angeles, CA (January 24, 2024) – The Music Center continues its prestigious Emerging Chefs Program at Abernethy’s restaurant with the announcement of Chef John Cleveland’s residency, from January 28, 2024, through June. Chef Cleveland is head chef and co-owner of the critically acclaimed Baldwin Hills restaurant Post & Beam. At Abernethy’s, located at Jerry Moss Plaza in Downtown Los Angeles, Chef Cleveland will serve the California Comfort Food he is known for, showcasing classic Post & Beam dishes as well as beloved off-the-menu specials.
The Music Center’s Emerging Chefs Program has become renowned for highlighting talent from around Los Angeles County, providing each new chef a platform to uplift a concept unique to them, from menu to art to music. The Music Center’s Culinary Advisory Committee—comprised of Chefs Shirley Chung, Govind Armstrong, Susan Feniger and Ray Garcia, along with Music Center board members—select the chefs. Chef Armstrong nominated his mentee Chef Cleveland for the esteemed opportunity. The two chefs met when Chef Cleveland joined the Post & Beam team in 2017, where he trained under his future mentor.
At Abernethy’s, Chef Cleveland’s menu will blend the flavors of traditional Southern fare with the freshness of California's seasonal produce, showcasing finds from local farmers markets. Highlights include:
Intros
Deviled Eggs, P&B Hot sauce, Catfish Floss (vg with no floss)
Jerked Catfish Nuggets and White Remoulade
Soups and Salads
California Clam Chowder, Leaks, Parsnip, Braised Kale, Sourdough
Chicken Pot Pie, Yellow Onion, Celery, Carrot, Green Peas, Puff Pastry
Mains
Certified Angus Beef Short Rib, Potato Puree, Bordelaise, Horseradish
Wild Mushroom Salisbury Steak, Potato Puree, Mushroom Gravy (vegan, gf)
Fisherman’s Stew, Mussels, Gulf Shrimp, Andouille Sausage, Yellow Corn, Fingerling Potato, Sourdough
Desserts
Cleveland Cookie, Shortbread Cookie with Homemade Mincemeat
“We are incredibly honored to have Chef Cleveland as our next Emerging Chef at Abernethy’s,” said Rachel S. Moore, president and CEO, The Music Center. “His culinary prowess is highly regarded within the hospitality community, and it is our goal to offer him an even wider platform with this role. The Emerging Chefs Program was established to introduce the talents of chefs from all over Los Angeles County to new audiences as The Music Center draws people from Southern California and beyond.”
More information about future chefs will be announced in the coming months.
About Chef John Cleveland
A rising star in the culinary world, John Cleveland is head chef and co-owner of the casual fine-dining restaurant Post & Beam. Along with his wife Roni, Chef Cleveland took the reins of this 11-year-old restaurant in 2019 with the goal of continuing its legacy as one of South Los Angeles’ most revered, award-winning, Black-owned restaurants. During Chef Cleveland’s tenure, Post & Beam has been included in the Los Angeles Times’ Top 101 Restaurants every year. He was also part of the culinary team that received the prestigious Los Angeles Times Gold Award in 2020, named for the late Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic Jonathan Gold “with the idea of honoring culinary excellence and expanding the notion of what Southern California cooking might be. The award celebrates intelligence and innovation, brilliance and sensitivity to aesthetics, culture and the environment.” In 2022, Post & Beam was recognized as a James Beard Foundation national semi-finalist for Best Restaurant. Born in Oakland, California, raised in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and reared by parents from a small town in Ohio, Chef Cleveland draws his influences from Southern soul food, Carolina BBQ, coastal seafood as well as Neapolitan cuisine, culminating into what he’s coined as “California comfort food.”
About Abernethy’s
Located in DTLA on Jerry Moss Plaza at The Music Center, Abernethy’s is a destination restaurant offering an ever-changing culinary experience. Pulling Emerging Chefs from across Los Angeles County, Abernethy’s highlights the diverse flavors and people of the city. It’s the story of L.A. – related and plated by the chefs who tell it best. For more information, visit abernethysla.com
About The Music Center
The Music Center convenes artists, communities and ideas with the goal of deepening the cultural lives of every resident in Los Angeles County. Celebrating its 60th year in 2024, the $70 million non-profit performing arts organization has two divisions: TMC Arts and TMC Ops. TMC Arts, The Music Center’s programming engine, provides year-round programming inside The Music Center’s four theatres, on Jerry Moss Plaza, outside at Gloria Molina Grand Park—a 12-acre adjacent green space—in schools and other locations all over Los Angeles County and on a digital platform called The Music Center Offstage. TMC Arts presents world-class dance with Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center, free and low-cost public concerts and events, as well as live and digital K–12 arts education programs, workshops, performances, interactive experiences and special events. TMC Ops manages the theatres, the Plaza and Gloria Molina Grand Park, which comprise $2 billion in county assets, on behalf of the County of Los Angeles. The Music Center is also home to four renowned resident companies—Center Theatre Group, Los Angeles Master Chorale, LA Opera and LA Phil. For more information, visit musiccenter.org. Follow The Music Center on social media @MusicCenterLA
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Media Contacts
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Gil Diaz
The Music Center
(213) 972-3332
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Annie Goldenberg
White Oak Communications
(562) 685-2866
annie@wearewhiteoak.com