Caroline Styne
Caroline Styne | |
|---|---|
| Born | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Restaurateur, master sommelier |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Known for | Co-founder and manager of Lucques, A.O.C., Tavern, and The Larder; James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurateur (2018) |
Caroline Styne is a restaurateur and master sommelier based in Los Angeles. Together with her business associate Suzanne Goin, she manages several establishments including Lucques, A.O.C., Tavern, and The Larder. In 2018, Styne was honored with the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurateur.
Early life and education
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Styne worked as a waitress during her college years and later achieved her master sommelier certification.
Career
Styne's entry into the food industry began in 1989 at age 22 when she co-founded Basically Baked Inc., a company distributing specialty food items such as one of the earliest baked tortilla chips. After selling this enterprise in 1992, she started a catering company called Food Concepts. Between 1994 and 1997, she managed Jones Hollywood under Sean MacPherson’s ownership, where she played a key role in its swift six-week reconstruction following a significant fire—an experience that shaped her expertise in restaurant development.
In 1997, Styne met Goin at Campanile. Recognizing a niche between casual and upscale dining in Los Angeles, they launched Lucques on Melrose Avenue in 1998, introducing menus driven by seasonal market availability. Lucques remained open until its closure was announced in May 2020.
Their later projects include A.O.C., opened in 2002 and credited with introducing small-plates dining to the LA scene; Tavern, established in 2009; and The Larder, which debuted in 2014. In 2015, they took over food service operations at the Hollywood Bowl.
Styne has also impacted wine trends by forecasting Albariño as an emerging varietal comparable to Chablis or Burgundy. She has provided wine commentary for Goin’s cookbooks and appeared as a guest judge on Top Chef: All-Stars L.A..
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Styne assumed a leadership position within the Independent Restaurant Coalition, advocating for federal assistance to sustain restaurants and their workforce.
Honors
Styne earned the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurateur in 2018 and was previously a semifinalist for this accolade in 2014.
Personal life
She is married to Michael Kohn, an art dealer. The couple lives with their two children in a residence built in 1926 located in Hancock Park.