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# Local restaurateurs toasted for their excellence
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/local-restaurateurs-toasted-for-their-excellence/
- Published: 2004-05-01T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T04:16:16.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Business, Santa Monica, #archive-import

Chinois on Main and Valentino were among five nominees for the James Beard Foundation S.Pellegrino Outstanding Restaurant Award. A longtime supporter of the James Beard Foundation, S.Pellegrino launched its James Beard Foundation S.Pellegrino Outstanding Restaurant Award in 1991 to acknowledge restaurants in the U.S. that serve as national standard bearers of consistency in quality and excellence of food, atmosphere and service. The two restaurateurs were recently honored at Casa del Mar, attended by Valentino owners Piero and Stacy Selvaggio with chef Stephan Samson; co-owners Barbara Lazaroff and Bella Lantsman, representing Wolfgang Puck of Chinois on Main, with executive chefs Luis Diaz and Rene Mata; and joined by colleagues and friends in the culinary community.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 1, 2004.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/050104.pdf?ref=smdp.com)