The culinary team behind the South Los Angeles eatery Post & Beam received the Los Angeles Times Gold Award, named for the late Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic Jonathan Gold. Founding owners Brad and Linda Johnson along with founding Chef Govind Armstrong share the honor with the current owners, Chef John and wife, Roni Cleveland.
The Los Angeles Times Gold Award is given annually “with the idea of honoring culinary excellence and expanding the notion of what Southern California cooking might be. The award celebrates intelligence and innovation, brilliance and sensitivity to aesthetics, culture, and the environment,” described Gold in 2017, prior to his death.
In addition to the Los Angeles Times Gold Award, Post & Beam was also added to Jonathan Gold’s 101 List during its first five years of operation and received a positive review from former Los Angeles Times’ restaurant and wine columnist S. Irene Virbila. The establishment has also been recognized by the community with several awards, including the Rise of the Phoenix Award by Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network; the Beacon of Light Award, presented by the Foundation for Second Chances; and the Health Champion Award, given during the 2017 MLK Annual Luncheon.
“At full strength, Post & Beam is an essential Southern California experience, a special night out where people dress up yet feel at ease and, as they walk out the door: happy,” said Gold’s wife, Laurie Ochoa –deputy editor with the Los Angeles Times’ Entertainment and Arts team in announcing the award. To read the full announcement, visit the LA Times website.
Establishing itself as a South LA cultural institution, the Johnsons opened up the fine dining restaurant in 2011 — its location adjacent to the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza Mall. Armstrong served as head chef, mentoring and eventually passing the baton to Cleveland. Last year, the Clevelands took over ownership of Post & Beam, keeping it a black-owned business. “With the changing of the guards, John will benefit from business consulting and access to senior leadership as well as mentorship in the kitchen from Govind, while Linda and I will focus on extending the brand through Post & Beam Hospitality LLC,” said Brad Johnson.
Post & Beam focuses on “California comfort food.” The restaurant offers a variety of hand-stretched pizzas and traditional southern comfort food, using local ingredients. Born in Oakland, California and raised in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Cleveland draws his influences from southern soul food, Carolina BBQ, coastal seafood as well as Neapolitan cuisine, culminating into what he’s coined as “California comfort food.” Favorite menu items include the hand-stretched pizzas with such toppings as pepperoni, turkey meatballs, shrimp and wild mushrooms; smoked BBQ baby back ribs and red cabbage slaw; fried jerked catfish; buttermilk fried chicken; shrimp ‘n’ grits; slow-cooked collard greens with smoked turkey and classic pound cake – just to name a few. In addition, dishes are seasoned with fresh herbs and seasonal fruits, grown from Post & Beam’s garden, such as basil, rosemary, sorrel, and lemon verbena along with panache figs, cara cara oranges, and Myer lemons.
“I consider myself a ‘working chef,’ and I love creating California comfort food. Comfort food is simple; yet it requires perfect execution, said John Cleveland. “The secret ingredients to good cooking are love and patience. You can taste it in every bite!”
The Post & Beam team are the fourth winners of the Gold Award. Past recipients include Wolfgang Puck, 2017 (Spago); Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, 2018 (Border Grill); and Bryant Ng and Kim Luu-Ng, 2019 (Cassia).
This week, foodies and food lovers are encouraged to taste the yumminess of Post & Beam, especially during Black Restaurant Week, which is going on through August 16, 2020. In its fifth year, the event celebrates the flavors of African American, African, and Caribbean cuisine. Last year, Post & Bam took home the award for Best Bite!
Throughout the year, Black Restaurant Week spotlights the culinary endeavors of cities around the country, including the Bay Area, the Midwest, and the South in cities like New York, Washington D.C., Atlanta, and New Orleans. For more information, visit their website.
Hours of Operation:
Post & Beam is open during the week from 4 to 8 p.m. It is closed on Mondays. Orders can be made through the restaurant’s website; the Post & Beam app, available on Google Play and the App Store as well as Postmates.
Post & Beam offers outdoor dining, as well as limited-contact, private day parties for gatherings up to 25 guests on its open-air patio. Custom menus available.
On the Menu For Black Restaurant Week
prix fixe menu $40 | take-out and delivery
· Build-It-Yourself, hand-stretched pizza
· Angus short ribs with a side
· classic pound cake
During the pandemic, Post & Beam is utilizing the latest technology, offering patrons no-contact on pick-up and delivery orders
