When Chef Brian Bornemann opened Crudo e Nudo on Main Street before COVID, the timing could not have been more uncertain. Restaurants were closing their doors as the pandemic took hold, and the future of dining was anything but clear. Five years later, the small seafood restaurant has not only survived, it has built a loyal following around a simple idea to make local seafood something people eat every day.
For Bornemann, the milestone carries personal meaning. “I grew up on Lincoln Boulevard and remember walking on Main Street as a kid,” he said. “Coming back to Santa Monica to open a restaurant here felt like coming full circle.”
Before returning home, Bornemann spent years honing his craft in kitchens across the country, working in New York and Colorado before landing in some of Los Angeles’ most respected restaurants, including The Tasting Kitchen and Michael’s Santa Monica. Over time, he became known for a style of cooking rooted in seafood, Italian influence, and raw preparations.
Crudo e Nudo was born from that experience and a desire to rethink how Angelenos approach seafood. “The idea was to get more people comfortable eating local seafood like vermillion rockfish or spiny lobster, not just saving it for special occasions,” Bornemann said. “We wanted to normalize it as something you could enjoy any day of the week.”
The concept resonated and Crudos quickly became the restaurant’s signature offering and remain its top selling items, allowing Bornemann and his team to continually expand their focus on responsibly sourced local seafood. Over the past five years, the restaurant has grown its menu and deepened its relationships with fishermen, farmers, and winemakers who share a similar commitment to regional ingredients. Reaching the five year mark is particularly meaningful in an industry where restaurants often struggle to survive. “So many places open and close within a few years,” he said. “For us to still be here, still going strong, and still evolving feels really special.”
To mark the milestone, Crudo e Nudo will host a week-long anniversary celebration from April 13 through April 19, bringing together chefs and winemakers who have been part of the restaurant’s journey. Each day from noon to 9 p.m., a different guest chef and winemaker will collaborate with the Crudo e Nudo team on a special menu highlighting local seafood through their own culinary perspective. The rotating series will offer guests the chance to experience a wide range of interpretations, all rooted in the restaurant’s commitment to fresh, locally sourced ingredients. “It’s really about celebrating the community that helped build this place,” Bornemann said. “These are chefs and winemakers we’ve worked with over the years who share our love of local seafood.”
The week will also feature a custom-blended white wine created specifically for the anniversary, along with special promotions, giveaways, and a festive atmosphere designed to bring neighbors and regulars back through the doors. Ojai’s The Dutchess’ Chef Saw Naing will curate a special menu for April 14.
For Bornemann, the goal is less about looking back and more about continuing the conversation around local food. “At the end of the day, we just want more people in the neighborhood to come by, celebrate with us, and enjoy what we’re doing,” he said. Reservations for the anniversary collaboration series open this Friday.