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Jar chef Suzanne Tracht’s home kitchen

Suzanne Tracht in her kitchen, which is worldly but cozy -- a collection of things that carry family history and present-day preferences. It’s not a huge space and is modest by most standards. “I think people work better in a small kitchen,” Tracht says.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

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Suzanne Tracht, chef of the L.A. chophouse Jar, may work surrounded by sleek, modern design, but when she heads home, the vibe is kind of like grandma’s house. Here’s a peek inside the place where one of L.A.’s top chefs cooks in her time off.

Cleo, a 14-year-old rescue dog, makes her way by the vintage O'Keefe & Merritt four-burner range. A chrome centerpiece that keeps food warm. A Chemex coffee maker, two French press pots and an espresso pot sit on top. Dish towels ¿ roosters on one, vegetables on the other ¿ hang on the oven door handles.

Cleo, a 14-year-old rescue dog, makes her way by the vintage O’Keefe & Merritt four-burner range. A chrome centerpiece that keeps food warm. A Chemex coffee maker, two French press pots and an espresso pot sit on top. Dish towels ¿ roosters on one, vegetables on the other ¿ hang on the oven door handles.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Tracht and her daughter, Ida Trevino, often eat in the breakfast nook, which is set off from the rest of the kitchen by a doorway and has its own built-in entertainment: One of their three dogs can jump high enough to peek in at the window.

Tracht and her daughter, Ida Trevino, often eat in the breakfast nook, which is set off from the rest of the kitchen by a doorway and has its own built-in entertainment: One of their three dogs can jump high enough to peek in at the window.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

A corner hutch has two ingenious triangular drawers that open toward each other.

A corner hutch has two ingenious triangular drawers that open toward each other.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

The hutch's shelves hold a collection of seltzer bottles.

The hutch’s shelves hold a collection of seltzer bottles.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

An apple cut, ready to eat, sits on the counter along with tomatoes, lemons, a loaf of bread from Bay Cities Italian Deli in Santa Monica. Tracht enthuses about the Umbrian lentils she buys there; two bags sit in a cupboard that also holds Nutella and chestnut honey for tea, and truffle salt for topping pasta with butter and Parmesan cheese.

An apple cut, ready to eat, sits on the counter along with tomatoes, lemons, a loaf of bread from Bay Cities Italian Deli in Santa Monica. Tracht enthuses about the Umbrian lentils she buys there; two bags sit in a cupboard that also holds Nutella and chestnut honey for tea, and truffle salt for topping pasta with butter and Parmesan cheese.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

"Orchids are beautiful, and they're low-maintenance," Tracht says. "They're nice. They mind their own business."

“Orchids are beautiful, and they’re low-maintenance,” Tracht says. “They’re nice. They mind their own business.”  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

"My kids are still mad at me for not having a microwave," says Tracht, who has been cooking professionally since she was 19. A few minutes later, Ida walks in and says she doesn't cook much but can use the O'Keefe & Merritt. "I learned how to do the oven because we don't have a microwave," she says, with a glance at her mother.

“My kids are still mad at me for not having a microwave,” says Tracht, who has been cooking professionally since she was 19. A few minutes later, Ida walks in and says she doesn’t cook much but can use the O’Keefe & Merritt. “I learned how to do the oven because we don’t have a microwave,” she says, with a glance at her mother.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Tracht's china came from a Laguna Beach consignment shop. She also has a set of brown plates she bought from the Heath factory outlet in Sausalito.

Tracht’s china came from a Laguna Beach consignment shop. She also has a set of brown plates she bought from the Heath factory outlet in Sausalito.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

The atmosphere for the kitchen was set when Tracht moved into the house and the artist Jill Young-Manson painted a still life of pink and yellow flowers in a pale blue vase. "It's done on the back of a grocery bag," Tracht says. "It was the first thing I put up in the house."

The atmosphere for the kitchen was set when Tracht moved into the house and the artist Jill Young-Manson painted a still life of pink and yellow flowers in a pale blue vase. “It’s done on the back of a grocery bag,” Tracht says. “It was the first thing I put up in the house.”  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Without an island, there seems to be a lot of open space, even though Tracht's kitchen is modest by most standards. She and her daughter eat lots of salads and make omelets or sushi, using ingredients from Tracht's weekly farmers market trips."One of my joys is when my daughter gets up, I make her breakfast." More chef's kitchens: Celestino Drago's backyard pizza oven Cookbook author Amelia Saltsman's Rustic Canyon retreat Joachim Splichal's modern family kitchen

Without an island, there seems to be a lot of open space, even though Tracht’s kitchen is modest by most standards. She and her daughter eat lots of salads and make omelets or sushi, using ingredients from Tracht’s weekly farmers market trips.”One of my joys is when my daughter gets up, I make her breakfast.”

More chef’s kitchens:

Celestino Drago’s backyard pizza oven

Cookbook author Amelia Saltsman’s Rustic Canyon retreat

Joachim Splichal’s modern family kitchen  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

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