Knife Pleat is an elegant and approachable French restaurant helmed by Michelin-starred chef Tony Esnault and restaurateur Yassmin Sarmadi, who are well-known in the Southern California culinary scene. The couple’s chic restaurant showcases modern, seasonal interpretations of classic French techniques by Chef Esnault, one of California’s best French chefs. Situated in South Coast Plaza’s Penthouse, the restaurant complements the extraordinary luxury retail collection that surrounds it, and is named ‘Knife Pleat’ after the fashion term, as a play on couture and cuisine.Chef Esnault has created elegant menus that highlight the best seasonal, organic produce, and 100% humanely & sustainably raised meats and seafood. The dramatic space seats 80 guests in two dining areas – an airy dining room wrapped with floor-to-ceiling translucent windows and a plain air patio accented with greenery. The dining room allows a view of the striking exhibition kitchen where Esnault and his team can be observed in action. The refined architecture and interiors by Johnson Fain - in collaboration with Sarmadi and Esnault - is decidedly understated, with a high fashion aesthetic and a soft palette.