The fine dining spot helmed by chef Elijah Arizmendi becomes the only La Jolla spot with a Michelin star.
Eleven months after opening, La Jolla fine dining restaurant Lucien now brandishes one new Michelin star, meaning the world-renowned entity for culinary excellence has deemed Lucien to be high-quality cooking across global competitors.
The news, announced June 24 at a San Diego Michelin ceremony, comes a month after Lucien earned a spot on the Michelin Guide.
At the time, acclaimed chef Elijah Arizmendi, who owns Lucien with Brian Hung and Melissa Lang, said he was humbled, excited and happy for the team.
Lucien, named for Arizmendi’s young son, opened in July as an intimate, high-touch experience, a 30-seat restaurant featuring a 10- to 14-course tasting menu.
Arizmendi prides himself on directing the Lucien team to focus on the guests, he told lajolla.ca in May.
Image courtesy of Lucien/Kimberly Motos
“The most important thing is to create a special experience for people they can’t find elsewhere.”
Lucien is now the only Michelin-starred restaurant in La Jolla, though five others are included in the Michelin Guide for their quality: AR Valentien; Catania; Himitsu; Nine-Ten and Paradisaea.
