Chef of the Moment: Malibu Pier’s Jason Fullilove names his favorite local seafood

Jason Fullilove is executive chef at the Malibu Pier Restaurant & Bar, the beachside restaurant that opened this summer focusing on sustainable local seafood.

Fullilove set out on a chef’s career path by attending the Culinary Institute of America in New York, but moved to St. Thomas before obtaining his degree to take a position as chef de cuisine at the Ritz-Carlton.

He moved to California and led the kitchen of Mark Peel’s Campanile. While executive chef for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, he launched his own pop-up restaurant, RED, where tasting menus were inspired by the art and films of the museum’s exhibitions.

Now he’s channeling his creativity into Malibu Pier’s seafood-centric menu, working with Los Angeles-area fishermen, farmers and foragers. On the menu: clam chowder with Nueske’s bacon and dill drop biscuits, California sea bass crudo with Meyer lemon relish, spot prawn corn dogs with violet mustard, uni deviled eggs, grilled whole California brook trout and Malibu seafood stew.

What’s coming up next on your menu?

Wild king salmon with cauliflower two ways with scarlet and pickled turnips.

Latest ingredient obsession?

So many! Lingcod, Santa Barbara spot prawns, scarlet turnips, wild king salmon, grass-fed beef, Hama Hama oysters! To name a few.

What’s your favorite breakfast?

Ethiopian coffee with coconut oil and a fruit smoothie.

The last cookbook you read -- and what inspired you to pick it up?

“René Redzepi: A Work in Progress.” The creativity in the way the book was constructed in three parts. It gives you a true glimpse into the mind of one of the most brilliant chefs of all time.

What’s the last non-food-related book you read?

“Evolution: The Cutting Edge Guide to Breaking Down Mental Walls and Building the Body You’ve Always Wanted” by Joe Manganiello.

Malibu Pier Restaurant & Bar, 23000 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, (310) 456-8820, www.malibupier.com