Catch of the Day with Ari Kolender

We meet Ari Kolender on a warm evening in Los Angeles (when isn’t it?) at Found Oyster, a seafood restaurant and bustling room, people spilling out onto the street, downing shellfish and chilled red wine.

Ari grew up in South Carolina and has made his name as the restaurateur behind Found Oyster, as well as The Copper Room, Queen’s and The Red Dog. Oh, and he’s also recently published a book: How to Cook the Finest Things in the Sea.

Below, Ari discusses his background, recipe to success and what makes a perfect oyster.

Drake’s: Hi Ari, can you talk about how your life in restaurants started? What led you into that world? 

Ari Kolender: I started out in restaurants when I was 14. Not because I loved them, but more just to have a summer job. I was instantly hooked and loved the hospitality industry.

After giving university a try and realising that I am a poor student at best, I decided to go to school for something that I really loved - moving to Los Angeles to go to Le Cordon Bleu cooking academy. 

At that point there was no going back. Owning a restaurant is all I could think about.

Drake’s: What is the story behind Found Oyster? What made you want to open in that area with that focus? 

AK: An Oyster and crudo bar is something that I always wanted to do. I was lucky enough to meet my partners who had the same vision and a lease on a space in an interesting part of town too.

I had been working with seafood for 15 years and Found Oyster seemed like a perfect opportunity to put all that I had learned on display. 

Drake’s: What’s the secret to a great oyster? Do you have a region or species that is your favourite? And how do you serve them? 

AK: Oysters from the East Coast of America are by far my favourite.  They have a strong briny, mineral driven flavour and a crisp, sharp texture.

The best tip on finding a great one is making sure that the people who are shucking them for you know exactly what they are doing and where they got them from. Your oyster sucker should be able to tell you everything you need to know.

At the restaurants, we serve them on pebble ice alongside sauces like a white wine mignonette and lemons. 

Drake’s: How do you view the food scene in LA when compared to somewhere like New York? Does it feel vastly different? 

AK: Huge difference. Not to say one is better than the other but the type of diner is completely different, and to that affect our businesses have to be different. 

LA is a much more casual city and an earlier one too. My restaurants are cleared out by 9:30 most nights, whereas in New York things are just starting to ramp up.

The New York restaurant scene is epic and what’s happening in the city right now feels amazing. Everything from casual bites at Cervos to fine pointed meals at Le Veau D’Or really make the city stand out. 

Drake’s What’s the biggest thing that running your own restaurant has taught you?

AK: Running our restaurants has taught me loads of patience, humility, and generosity. I love our staff and our guests and giving time to both is really important. 

I feel lucky to say that I’ve been doing it the way I wanted to from the beginning and I think it shows with how many people have been working side by side with us for so long. 

Drake’s: What are some other restaurants in the city that you enjoy when you’re not working? 

AK: Antico Nuovo, Lasita Houston’s, Sushi Gen. Honestly there are a lot of new things that have opened that I just haven’t had time to get to yet. Bar Siesta is top of mind. 

Drake’s: What do you think a restaurant needs to be a success in 2025? 

AK: So far we’ve had a great spring in LA. Everyone is out enjoying the weather and themselves. Hoping that the trend continues this summer. 

I’d say the biggest thing is that we are just starting to program more collaborations between other restaurants, Chefs, bartenders, even clothing brands. We’re always looking to stay top of mind and give people a fun reason to come back.

Drake’s: What’s your favourite thing to cook at home? Any tried and true Ari recipes? 

AK: I cook at home often and the range is large. My favourite two things to cook would either be a pasta that usually has a tomato-anchovy red sauce or a nice pork schnitzel. The move there is to make a really good salad with tons of herbs and nuts and cheese, something with a punchy dressing and place it right on top of that golden delicious schnitzel.