Jackson Kalb is most excited about the Italian beef sandwich served on a silver platter at his new Hollywood restaurant Jemma. “We are making bread in-house and spent a year-and-a-half developing it,” he says. Using shaved prime rib, Cooper’s sharp American cheese, giardiniera, horseradish, and jus on the side, it’s equal parts Chicago and LA.

Kalb built a career cooking approachable Italian American food at the neighborhood spot Jame in El Segundo, the destination-worthy Ospi in Venice, and the seafood-centric Jemma di Mare in Brentwood.