Chef of the Moment: Brilliantshine’s Richie Lopez and the new bar food

Richie Lopez is executive chef of Brilliantshine, the new Santa Monica bar and restaurant helmed by mixologist team Julian Cox and Josh Goldman (who call it a “coastal saloon”). Lopez, who was born in Lima, Peru, where he grew up helping his mother prepare family meals, moved to Los Angeles 10 years ago and embarked on a professional culinary path. In 2009 he met Peruvian chef Ricardo Zarate at Mo Chica (then located at Mercado La Paloma) and went on to cook at Test Kitchen, Sotto and eventually Zarate’s Paiche as chef de cuisine then executive chef. At Brilliantshine, his menu focuses on food that goes with cocktails, but it’s not your average bar menu. Chicken wings are glazed with gochujang and aji amarillo; red snapper crudo is dressed with citrus soy sauce, peaches and yuzu kosho; his maharrones pasta is prepared with Niman Ranch pork belly, cherry tomatoes and chimichurri, topped with a fried egg.

What’s coming up next on your menu?

Shima aji [striped jack], watermelon, aji panca [chiles], miso and citrus sauce.

Latest ingredient obsession?

Pluots.

What restaurant do you find yourself going to again and again?

Con Sabor a Peru. I love the cau cau there (tripe stew with potatoes and rice).

The one piece of kitchen equipment you can’t live without, other than your knives?

Chopsticks.

What chef has most influenced you?

The first one, my grandmother.

Brilliantshine, 522 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 451-0045, www.thebrilliantshine.com.