Refined palate
KIM FLORESCA • goop Kitchen
WORK • Thursday Routine
KIM FLORESCA • vp of culinary • goop Kitchen
Neighborhood you work in: Santa Monica
Neighborhood you live in: Hawthorne
It’s Thursday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
We start our morning at 6a supporting goop Kitchen restaurants through any shortages, which happens all day, every day. Today we have a tasting for our rotisserie chicken menu and a few other categories — a pizza, refining our wraps, and a new dessert — so on to prep, so we can make it for our noon tasting.
What’s on the agenda for today?
Working on our winter menu, getting ready for our detox rollout in January. We love the tedious work we do to keep refining our current menu to make it better, whether it’s tasting mac-n-cheese 75 times in a month, or making 30 versions of maple pumpkin bread to get that specific texture. The research and development aspect of food is where creativity, innovation, and execution meet — and it’s a beautiful thing when you see your recipes come to life, and all the hands it takes to make it a reality.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
We’re going to Darling by Sean Brock, which just opened. Also super excited to eat at Pasjoli, which recently redid its menu and restaurant again. And always love Birdie G’s, which I hear will be closing at the end of the year —so I need to get my fix in!
How about a little leisure or culture?
I’ve never been one to love sports, but my goodness, our team got me into The Dodgers and it’s my favorite sporting event. The culture brought by the fans is incredible to behold and I love the history and goodness they bring to the game. That’s culture, right?
Any weekend getaways?
One of my absolute favorite escapes is Napa. It’s truly my happy place! There’s nothing like slowing down, breathing in that fresh vineyard air, and just being surrounded by nature. Whether I’m staying at Meadowood or soaking in the views from Auberge du Soleil in Rutherford, it’s the perfect place to hit reset. There’s something so grounding about morning hikes through the hills, sipping wine with friends, and indulging in amazing food, while overlooking endless rows of vines. And let’s be honest, half the fun is the drive up the 101 with that stunning coastal view. Give me a good girls weekend with wine, laughter, nature, and some R&R, and I’m totally recharged!
What was your last great vacation?
Spain will always have a special place in my heart. It’s where I spent three incredible years working at some of the best restaurants and truly fell in love with the culture, food, and landscapes.
One of my favorite spots is a tiny hotel on a farm called El Casa Rural Larre Aundi, tucked away in the northern part of Spain just outside San Sebastián. It’s quiet, quaint, and surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty that literally took my breath away. Just a few miles down the road was Mugaritz, one of the most unforgettable dining experiences of my life. On weekends, we’d head into San Sebastián to wander the old city by the bay, hopping from pintxo bar to pintxo bar, never once having a bad meal.
What store or service do you always recommend?
For my fellow chefs and food lovers, Japanese Knife Imports is always fun to shop around and test out new knives. Now Serving is a very unique cookbook store. The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills is a classic. So much to look at and so much to taste and see!
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
I love this really gorgeous Rue de Verneuil large traversée bag that I take with me everywhere. It’s large enough to fit my computer, notebooks, recipe books and knicknacks, but also chic enough to look great with any outfit.
Where are you donating your time or money?
The team at Upward Bound House does incredible work on food insecurities, and what they do for the unhoused, and how they get them back on their feet is incredible. I also personally love Berkeley Animal Care Services, where I used to volunteer. I also got one of my dogs from there and love the community built around that shelter.