Haute Chef: Michael Mina

With 16 restaurants in places such as San Francisco, Las Vegas, Florida and even New Jersey, Michael Mina has officially made his stamp on the culinary world.

After being awarded Chef of the Year from Bon Appétit, the name Michael Mina started to become a favorite for foodies and those who loved elegant dining. The Egyptian-born chef has cooked for a few well-known faces, including Laura Bush and other celebrity followers while taking adventurous and sometimes daring challenges with his cooking.

Though Mina’s restaurants such as Nobhill Tavern in Las Vegas and Bourbon Steak in Washington, D.C., remain popular favorites, Los Angeles foodies were excited when Mina introduced XIV to the culinary scene.

Located on Sunset Boulevard, XIV is a take on modern American cooking with a twist with dishes such as caviar parfait and Thai snapper. Diners say that XIV deserves a rating of C (100). Earlier this month, Mina revealed a new a la carte menu.

XIV is located at 8117 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles.