Christopher Tunnell

Executive Chef


Dolce


Christopher Tunnell - Dolce

To Christopher Tunnell, cooking was always synonymous with his family name.  Raised in Oklahoma, Tunnell was perpetually influenced by the Italian cooking on his father’s side.  The Tunnels were a family with a long history in the restaurant business, and quickly involved young Christopher in their culinary world.  By age 8, Tunnell proudly filled the water glasses of patrons at his father’s family-style Italian restaurant. 

“I drove my dad nuts,” admits Tunnell, regarding his early determination to become a part of the restaurant.  “I did anything I could,” he adds, describing his evolution from busboy to kitchen assistant and beyond.  It seems that Tunnell knew hospitality was his calling straight out of the cradle.

At age 15, Tunnell began to expand his prowess in the kitchen by working at a seafood restaurant in Tulsa.  Though he never necessarily applied for formal training, he prepared for his future as a chef by throwing himself into a number of hands-on learning experiences.  Through an apprenticeship with the American Culinary Federation, working under the influence of the likes of Martin Yan and Paul Prudhomme, Tunnell was able to learn through osmosis and develop his own personal style.  Perhaps this explains his consequent ability to maintain the integrity of a classic dish, while also adding a few new twists. 

Ready to hold his own as a chef, Tunnell found opportunities in Nevada, where he became involved in a handful of culinary projects, ultimately landing him a position as the General Manager of Kokomo’s at the Mirage.  Tunnell’s experiences in Vegas taught him how to tailor a high-end restaurant to suit the needs of a crowd very much interested in a fast-paced nightlife.   

Soon enough, Tunnell was approached by the reputable Lonnie Moore and Mike Malin to help develop the trendy Italian eatery, Dolce.  He was involved in much of the brainstorming process, and eventually took the job of training everyone at Dolce’s sister restaurant in Reno, which opened in October 2006.  Tunnell explains that the minds behind Dolce developed the basic restaurant plans collectively, and tweak them to fit the varying demographic at each Dolce location. 

“You’re not going to serve a burrata cheese platter in Vegas,” says Tunnell, adding, “but it’s one of our best selling items in Hollywood.”  Again, Tunnell’s experience with varying nightlife types has cultivated an awareness of patrons’ needs.  Though Tunnell develops the basic menu ideas for Dolce, he is willing to put his head together with Moore’s and Malin’s to cater to his projected customer.  His adaptability is matched with a sense of creativity, and a commitment to still manage to put food first.

In April 2007, after being appointed as the corporate chef in Dolce’s Los Angeles location, Tunnell revised the menu, adding a few more simple dishes, as well as some fusion items.  His Mango Bruschetta and Tuna Tartare mesh with simple classics like Penne Arrabiata and traditional masterpieces, such as his Rissoto Osso Bucco.  Tunnell’s basic mantra, “take traditional recipes and add a new edge,” allows the best dishes with a lot of history to reach a new trendy audience.  He aims to create a menu that can be enjoyed by all, while still following the lead of his playful intuitions.

The March 2007 opening of Tunnell’s new brainchild, Ketchup has certainly demonstrated his sense of culinary whimsy – offering such diverse dishes as  lobster wraps and truffle-laced mac ‘n’ cheese.  Another project headed by the Dolce Group, Ketchup is a trendy high-end diner swarmed by Hollywood elite and curious diners, alike, marking yet another successful attempt to match great food with cutting-edge marketing.

Perhaps it is Tunnell’s deeply-infused sense of hospitality that has made him such a tremendous success.  True, his talents as a traditional Italian chef are remarkable – (yes, his Osso Bucco can in-fact be cut with a fork).  True his creativity pushes boundaries in ways that are subtle (Mango Bruschetta), irresistible (Ketchup’s above-mentioned Truffle Mac ‘n’ Cheese), and downright adorable (Mini Kobe Beef Chili Dogs).  But its Tunnell’s unwavering ability to make great food that people actually like, all while managing a multitude of projects and posing for a quick photo-op with Tara Reid that makes him remarkable.  At the end of the day, he is a man who remembers the actual point of hospitality.  And at the end of the night, he’s a man who knows his nightlife just like he knows his food. 


Restaurant Info

  • 8284 Melrose Avenue
    Los Angeles CA 90046
  • Restaurant: Dolce
  • Address: 8284 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90046
  • Cross Street: Sweetzer Avenue
  • Location: Central / Downtown LA | West Hollywood
  • Cuisine: Italian |
  • Cost: $$$ | Moderate | $50 - $75
  • Category: Fine Dining
  • Reservations: Unknown
  • Dress Code: Casual Elegant
  • Meals Served: Dinner | Late |
  • Parking:
  • Payment Options: VISA | Amex | MasterCard | Discover | Diners Club |
  • Corkage Fee: N/A