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Caviar Queen: Giselle Wellman from Petrossian

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Executive Chef Giselle Wellman came to Petrossian Boutique and Restaurant in West Hollywood in 2010 with a not only a stellar fine-dining background in kitchens run by everyone from Mario Batali to Thomas Keller, but also a love of food — including modern caviar-centric dishes — instilled in her by her Jewish-Mexican family, including two aunts who are also chefs. Raised in San Diego, Wellman attended Le Cordon Bleu Academie d’Art Culinaire in Mexico City. After graduating in 2004, she returned to San Deigo and learned the fundamentals of kitchen work at the Star of the Sea, before moving to the acclaimed Jack’s La Jolla as sous chef under Tony DiSalvo. She worked at Jean Georges in New York in 2007, and then decided to go back to Jack’s. In 2009, she found herself back in New York working with Mario Batali at his newest restaurant Del Posto as chef de partie. In 2009, she moved to Los Angeles to work at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Beverly Hills as chef de partie as well.

Why do you choose to live and work in West Hollywood?

I have lived in LA for five years and just recently chose to move to WeHo. I had originally chosen the Westside because I am from San Diego, and the beach lifestyle was what felt like home. Surprisingly, I could not have made a better choice to move to WeHo. This walkable, friendly neighborhood has it all. Great restaurants, bars, spas, coffee shops, gyms — you name it. It has a little of everything for any mood you may be in.

What are three things you can’t live without in the city?

  1. Safety. WeHo is a safe place to live. The fact that this is such a walkable city, it’s very important that it is safe for me to walk home from work at night or a late night out.
  2. Restaurants. There are amazing restaurants that make this city one of the best. Some of my favorites include Church Key, Night Market, ink., Roger Room, and Pearl’s Liquor Bar but I spend the most time at Petrossian.
  3. Shopping. You can get everything here, from organic produce to top-of-the-line clothing and design.

If you had a magic wand, what changes or additions would you like to see in WeHo? And what would you never change?

Magic: I wish it were closer to a major highway. It’s added 20-30 minutes to my semi-long drive home to San Diego.

Changes or additions: It would be nice if the metro system came this way, connecting us to other wonderful parts of L.A.

I would never change how friendly the people are in WeHo.

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