FOODLAB is a family business. Nino, and his mother Esther, started as a catering company in 2007 and have since opened two gourmet marketplace cafes in Los Angeles, with plans of opening more in the years to come.

Esther owned a restaurant in Salzburg, Austria before moving to Los Angeles in 1993 with her son. While she is mostly self-taught, she did attend Le Cordon Bleu in Paris between modeling in runway shows in Paris and Milan. Her unique and unapologetic approach to flavor and combinations has made FOODLAB a popular Los Angeles destination. Constantly trying to create new dishes, Esther is currently working on a cookbook dedicated to sandwiches.

Nino attended the Hotel School at Cornell University, learning the management side of the restaurant industry. After a few years working on the east coast, Nino decided to move back to Los Angeles and join his mother in opening FOODLAB. Nino’s passion for design and marketing has also helped FOODLAB define a strong brand, one he is constantly trying to improve and perfect.

Since day one, Esther and Nino have stayed true to their original mission:
LOVE. Love what you do, love what you put in your body, love people…
EAT. Eat well – organic, natural, farm raised, nitrate and hormone free cuisine.
DRINK. high quality, fresh and homemade beverages and authentic European coffee.
SMILE. Life is short; enjoy! Our staff is known to be the friendliest staff around.
FOODLAB. the name is a refection of Esther’s experiments with flavors.

Additionally, we are proud to announce that our eat-ware, ranging from plates, cutlery, cups, and packaging are 80% environmentally friendly and biodegradable. It is extremely important to us to be a leader in keeping this planet clean and beautiful, and therefore have made every effort in finding items that are not only attractive but also harmless.

FOODLAB (yes, its one word, not two; the plus was meant as a design detail and for 7 years we were referred to as FOOD AND LAB).