Rethinking the dining experience: JOEY Restaurants + James Beard

Innovators in any industry know that success doesn’t come overnight. Instead, it’s the result of hard work, commitment and a stellar team. This is the driving mentality behind the incredible creators that come together in Peerspace to showcase their inspiring ideas and unique approaches. That’s why, with our Guests, it’s not just what they do in Peerspace locations, but how they do it that sets them apart.

These attributes of success are well known at JOEY restaurant group, where they are gaining accolades for disrupting the idea that premium cuisine comes along with stuffy settings. Whether it’s the bold flavors in their signature dishes or the vibrant and polished decor in their restaurants, JOEY restaurants seek to elevate the dining experience – without a trace of pretension. The result? Providing a relaxed private dining experience with world-class food that will please the most sophisticated of palettes. Their motto: “Get it right the first time” speaks not only to their desire to simply create casual, premium cuisine, but to the way they engage with their community by providing the highest level of service and considering each detail of the dining experience.

Since JOEY is on a mission to deliver the ultimate in casual dining, when it came time to host a private event and tasting in honor of their recent collaboration with James Beard, they came to Peerspace to find a location. What they found was somewhere warm, relaxed and comfortable that didn’t compromise on beautiful aesthetic and decor.

The 1928 Italian Villa they chose is an architectural masterpiece combining classic elements with tasteful decor. Behind the charming exterior is a unique 7,600-square foot venue unlike any other in LA. The warm and inviting space is complete with hardwood floors, expansive rooms, exposed brick walls, two exterior courtyards complete with mature landscaping, high exposed beam ceilings and a beautiful fireplace. It made for the ultimate location for JOEY to celebrate their James Beard success. 

Here, Sasha Perrin, from JOEY restaurant group, sheds light on how they were able to find a unique space to suit their needs on the Peerspace marketplace to make sure their event went off without a hitch.

What was the purpose of the Joey x James Beard event and the inspiration behind the evening?

JOEY was invited to the prestigious James Beard House in New York City to host a dinner inspired by the West Coast. As the menu had Los Angeles inspiration and we are opening our first California location, JOEY Woodland Hills, we thought this was an excellent opportunity to preview the dinner to Los Angeles media. We chose the Carondelet House because it had a similar feel to the James Beard House in New York with its historical architecture and warm décor.

What was the biggest challenge you faced in finding a space that could accommodate your needs?

We had a very specific look and feel we wanted for our event and we wanted to find a venue that replicated what it would be like to dine at the James Beard House. Peerspace worked closely with us to find the perfect venue that met our needs from a culinary and bar execution perspective as well as a service and décor need.

The Carondelet House is an incredible and versatile location. When it came time for the event, how did you leverage the space and make it your own?

The Italian Villa was the perfect backdrop to our event and we did not need to bring in much to make it our own. With West Coast inspired floral arrangements, simple candles, and large photographs from past events we were able to make the venue our own.

What was the necessary setup and preparation for such a detail-oriented event like this to take place?

There was a lot of advance planning that went into this event from event layout, coordinating the team, rentals and product. In organizing this in advance it was easy to execute day of, an important factor when flying in for the event. For example, we went to floral shops that day and got fresh product ourselves. This gave us the opportunity to design exactly the centerpieces we were looking for.

What was something inspiring that happened at the event?

We always look to create a flow and structure to any JOEY event, that gets better with every step. By having guests walk through the venue hall looking at each past photograph we were able to build anticipation. Then they had the experience of the reception in the interior courtyard. Finally, the doors opened to a long elegant table in the main dining space. By creating this flow that builds on the story and experience guests are left with distinct memories from each part of the event. The venue itself was a huge help and inspiration in creating this.

What was the highlight of the evening?

A highlight for us was the wow factor guests had the minute they walked into the venue. It is stunning and added to the whole experience.

The villa that JOEY chose for this private dining experience, along with several other hidden-gem Los Angeles event spaces, can be booked on the Peerspace marketplace.