AT THE TABLE with Heather Sperling

Meant to capture the feeling of a casual conversation around the table while connecting over a homemade meal, we ask our muses to a share a small glimpse into their daily lives and a recipe that they hold dear.  
                                                                        

 

I am thrilled to feature Heather Sperling on the journal today. She is co-owner of two Los Angeles restaurants, Botanica, which has become a Silver Lake mainstay, and the recently opened Bar Siesta, a beautifully designed space dedicated to Spanish flavors (which happens to be about a block up the street from Botanica).

I am always curious how those who work in hospitality professionally cook, eat, and host at home. Even as a busy restaurateur Heather’s life revolves much around her family, home, and hosting. Here she shares what a typical day looks like, what she stocks in her home pantry, her dinner party go-tos (as a self-described compulsive host), and because we always ask, a few beauty favorites too.

-Kira

You can find Heather at @heathersper, @bar_siesta_la and @botanicafood.

                              

 

What recipe are you sharing with us?

BAR SIESTA'S ENSALADA de VENTRESCA
So simple and fantastic and can be made anywhere!

1 x 4oz tin oil-packed Spanish tuna belly (I use Siesta Co.)
8 oz piquillo peppers
1 large orange (Cara Cara or valencia)
Thin slices of Spanish onion
A handful of fresh parsley
Really good olive oil
A splash of sherry vinegar
Sea salt

Instructions
Remove tuna belly from its oil and place on your serving plate (a shallow bowl is ideal!). Thinly slice piquillo peppers in ribbons. Zest your orange, juice half of it, and remove the peel and pith from the other half. Slice and chop the orange, then add the zest, juice and fruit to your peppers. Add a handful of thinly sliced onion, some chopped parsley, plenty of glugs of olive oil, and a splash of sherry vinegar. Season with sea salt, then arrange over the tuna. Spoon the juices all over the plate, and serve.

*Heather's Ensalada de Ventresca served in our Pillar Low Entree Bowl.

 

 

What’s a typical day for you?

My kids (4 & 6) jump on me in bed around 6:45, then the next hour is just morning chaos. After they're off to school, I have a precious solo moment of getting ready for the day (vitamins, caffeine, emails), then it's off to the gym and then to work. A typical workday includes multiple meetings with various managers at Botanica and Bar Siesta, countless admin tasks, tasting multiple dishes and drinks, and taking a gajillion trips up and down Silver Lake Blvd. between the two restaurants. Then if I'm not at the restaurants in the evening, I'm racing home to see the kids for a few before bedtime...and then usually back on my laptop (after they have extra hugs, extra snacks, ask multiple existential questions). It's full-on right now!

 

What's your favorite daily ritual in the home?

Snuggling with my kids for an oxytocin dose after a long, busy day, and sticking my head out the front door and taking a deep inhale of the nighttime air before bed! We have some awesome old-growth trees in our yard and taking a breath while gazing at them is a dose of perspective at the end of the day.

 

Are you a coffee or tea person?

At home: a Rocky's matcha latte with freshly made almond-cashew-date milk. Out in the world: A fresh cashew-date milk latte at Botanica or an oat milk latte if somewhere else (because my matcha preference is too particular to be sourced outside my kitchen :)

 

What essentials can always be found in your pantry and refrigerator?

In the pantry: Multiple varieties of excellent olive oil (Seka Hills arbequina is my go-to everyday oil, and I love Like Family, Baker Lane and Scribe olive oils finishing oils); the full line of Botanica Pantry goods (preserved lemons, chile oil, harissa, Magic Spice, etc etc -- essentials!); plenty of Siesta Co. conservas and Spanish vinegars from Bar Siesta; Japanese pantry goods from Toiro; and a rainbow of Burlap & Barrel and Diaspora Co. spices. In the fridge: farmers' market produce, multiple varieties of miso, countless pickles and preserves!

 

 

What's a favorite memory you've shared in your home?

I'm a compulsive host, even in the midst of work and life chaos... I just love it, and have designed a home around it (for example: our custom-made dining room table extends to seat 16). So my most beloved memories are from holidays when an assortment of friends and family gather around the table, and it's beautiful, festive chaos!

 

What’s your favorite thing to serve at a dinner party?

My favorite one-dish-wonder is a giant platter inspired by Vietnamese bún, but the most farmers-market-driven version of the form -- ideally in summertime! So: marinated and grilled eggplant, mushrooms and pork; rice noodles; a giant salad of beautiful leaves (herbs/cress/sorrel/pea tendrils), slivered sugar snap peas, shaved radishes and cucumbers, halved sungold tomatoes; all scattered with fried shallots and garlic, and dressed with nuoc cham. Second-favorite thing is a Spanish spread -- with a tortilla española, ensalada de ventresca, plenty of cheese, bread, olives & aioli!

 

Do you have a sweet tooth? Do you serve desserts after dinner?

After dinner my greatest craving is walnuts and dark chocolate -- so I love to serve some lovely nuts (like red walnuts from K&K ranch), Moire date-sweetened dark chocolate, and some assorted fresh and dried fruit from the farmers market.

 

 

What is your favorite season and why? 

Summer -- I love the beach! I love the bounty! Though I have to say, January/February in LA are just absolutely magical -- especially when the citrus trees burst into fragrant bloom!

 

Something that’s always in your bag?

Lip balm, lip gloss, sunscreen! Current favorites = nuxe miel lip balm, U Beauty's plasma lip balm, the Outset mineral sunscreen.

 

Current favorite beauty product?

I'm an all Marie Veronique all the time girl. I recently started using Marie Veronique’s retinol emulsion and it has a noticeable effect on skin texture and pores. My other main jam is Noto’s deep serum — the best all day every day face oil!

 

 

Best book you’ve read recently?

Audition by Katie Kitamura. I was surprised, delighted, confused, entranced!

 

What has been inspiring you lately?

Things are really hard in the restaurant industry in LA right now, but the way my team at my restaurants keeps showing up, putting their best selves into their work, adapting/pivoting while keeping smiles on their faces is just the biggest, greatest inspiration.

 

Find Heather on Instagram at @heathersper, @bar_siesta_la, and @botanicafood

Photography by Em Ferretti and Heather Sperling.

                              

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