About
Born and raised in Whittier, Jason Witzl has been professionally exploring the
Los Angeles culinary scene since he was 17, scrubbing dishes for famed uptown
dive 6740 in his hometown. Since those humble days, Witzl has been working
his way up the culinary scene throughout the region and world. He has been part
of the finest food institutions, from Campanile and the Water Grill to the
Manhattan Beach Post, Spain’s renowned, three-Michelin starred Restaurante
Martín Berasategui and one of the top seafood establishments Herringbone as the
Executive Chef. Through these experiences, Witzl learned and appreciated his
love of Italian and Californian cuisine, combining the two to refine his approach
to all things gastronomical.
After honing his skills to the point of confidence, he took the leap into owning
and running his own restaurant, Ellie’s in Long Beach, named after his
grandmother. Here, one can experience both Witzl’s skill and playfulness when it
comes to re-interpreting Italian classics while elevating neighborhood dining.
Witzl is also at the helm of his second and third Long Beach restaurants; Lupe’s
de la Mar for fine-dining Mexican seafood and Ginger’s, his 7-9 course chef’s
tasting menu concept. Chef Witzl is now operating his fourth location Jolie,
situated at 126 Orange Ave on Coronado Island which opened March of 2023.
Jolie features a beautiful array of California Coastal cuisine inspired by Chef
Witzl’s 20+year career. Jolie has already captured the palates of Coronadian’s
and looks forward to doing the same in San Diego proper.
