Lisa Giffen

LISA GIFFEN

Lisa Giffen, raised in Germany by American parents, experienced the rich and varied food products and cuisines of Western Europe throughout her youth. After initially embarking on a corporate career path, Giffen pivoted to the culinary world of New York City, quickly gaining experience working in some of the city's most acclaimed restaurants, including Blue Hill New York, Prune, Daniel, and Alain Ducasse’s Adour. After joining Williamsburg’s celebrated Maison Premiere, Giffen was named executive chef in 2014. Under her direction, the cocktail and oyster bar further became a respected dinner destination, serving seasonal, approachable dishes with French and New Orleans influences. In 2016, Giffen opened Maison Premiere’s sister restaurant Sauvage, where she melded European café traditions with a modern, producer-driven, and vegetable-forward menu. After over a decade on the East Coast, Giffen has relocated to Los Angeles where she took a post at the Little Beach House Malibu and now assumes the role of Executive Chef at Audrey, housed within the Hammer – Los Angeles’ renowned art museum and cultural center.