Charbel Hayek, the 28-year-old “Top Chef” phenom, knows a thing or two about pressure.
The lauded chef has cooked under the glare of studio lights, navigated the high-stakes Los Angeles dining scene with Ladyhawk and Laya, walking away a winner each time. But his latest move isn’t about television drama or Hollywood hype. It’s a geographical shift that’s been a long time coming. On Thursday, Dec. 4, the chef will debut his newest eatery, Ilya, in San Clemente.
The move to Orange County’s southernmost region might seem like a detour for a chef dominating the L.A. scene, but for Hayek, who calls Covina home, it was inevitable. In fact, he noticed an orange-front pattern in his dining rooms up north.
“I saw that we have a lot of clientele that comes from Orange County to L.A. to dine at my restaurants.” he told me when we sat down to talk. “So, I thought, ‘My next target should be Orange County, I think it’s the best place to start.”
Ilya won’t be a copy-paste of his L.A. eateries, he explained. While his previous concepts leaned heavily into his eastern Mediterranean roots (Hayek hails from Lebanon), Ilya looks west. The restaurant, christened after the Greek word for “olive tree,” channels the flavors of the Cycladic Islands, with a menu that tours the Mediterranean coastline.
“It’s a reflection of all my childhood and my journey, starting from Lebanon to France and now living here” in California, he said. “It’s not Lebanese cuisine, it’s not Middle Eastern, it’s not French or Italian, it’s a mix of them all.”
Menu highlights at Ilya will include a mezze platter featuring house-made hummus, muhammara, baba ghanouj, and warm pita. A handful of entrees will include grilled tiger prawns with black lime butter, Australian rack of lamb with ancho and chorizo butter, king salmon with sauce vierge and mussels with tarragon curry. Pasta will also be available, like lobster spaghetti in bisque and spicy rigatoni with Calabrian chili.
Tres leches, tiramisu and basil-lemon tart round out the pared-down dessert menu. And a dedicated bar will also be on hand for those who want something with a little more ethanolic kick (mocktails also available).
“Every dish we try to make a star dish,” said Hayek. “I don’t like to create one star dish and expect it to carry the rest of the menu.”
The space, ideal for the South County coastal enclave whose denizens relish their seaside adjacency, is meant to reflect the Cycladic islands (think oceanic blues and whites). The gated elements at the front entrance, tiled host stand, hearth and main dining room are particularly noteworthy.
Winner of “Top Chef Middle East & North Africa” (which he won at 24 years of age) and contestant on “Top Chef: World All-Stars” (where he competed alongside his friend and Orange County notable, Amar Santana), I couldn’t let Hayek go without asking about his star turn on “Top Chef.” He admitted that while the cameras were brutal at first (“My legs were shaking”), they also helped forge his mindset. “It teaches you to be bold and take risks and stick with your ideas,” he said, adding, “What makes you special on ‘Top Chef’ is to cook something that has a great story.”
The story he’s now telling can be found at 1502 South El Camino Real in San Clemente. As for the future? The twentysomething said he’s opening a space in Las Vegas in the coming year. But for now, his eyes and prowess are honed in on his new spot.
“We have built up so much hype right now that I think it’s time to back it up,” said Hayek. “So, we have to do it right.”
Opening hours will be Sunday to Wednesday from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m.
Find it: 1502 South El Camino Real, 949-703-111; visit ilyarestaurant.com for more information.