The Hottest Place to Eat in Hollywood Is a Studio Cafeteria

Steven Spielberg is among the many hundreds flocking each day to feast on the most upscale studio worker cafeteria in current reminiscence, Common‘s the Marketplace. That’s saying a lot, contemplating that Spielberg’s Amblin (an NBCU enterprise associate housed on the Common lot) is legendary for using its personal chef for workers’ lunches.

A part of The Commons, which additionally homes state-of-the-art screening rooms, the Market is next-level — and sponsored for workers. Varied meals stations vary from a correct sushi bar (in case you’re keen to wait in line) to consolation meals from a standard burrito bowl with pork chili verde to a BBQ salmon dish with Cajun rice and crispy brussels sprouts to pepperoni and sizzling honey pizzas. 

Designed by Lever and Subject Operations, the refurbished digs at Common additionally embody a new workplace constructing and a paseo with greater than 10,000 sq. toes of inexperienced house, a serene place to sip a customized juice or savor a biscuit that’s the key recipe of chef Jake Holland, govt sous chef, NBCUniversal-Bon Appetit (no relation to the journal). Holland says 1,600 to 1,700 meals fly out the door every day and about 20 % of gross sales are vegan. “The Marketplace has definitely been great for morale,” says one NBCU staffer.

There’s additionally a new govt eating room, the Peacock Grill, for which NBCU bigwig Donna Langley personally hunted down peacock-embellished upholstery to outfit the banquettes. 

Studio commissaries, cafeterias and govt eating rooms lengthy have been areas to surreptitiously goggle at visiting expertise in addition to locations to be seen with the powers that be for girding one’s place in the company pecking order. Whereas the pandemic put this time-honored custom on pause, now it’s roaring again as employers lure individuals to places of work, as exemplified by the Market at The Commons.

Most Ordered at Different Studio Commissaries

Sony

Some of the standard orders on the worker eating room is the bao buns, with maitake mushroom, carrots, radish and cucumber topped with unagi sauce. Orange hen is also a cult favourite: Phrase rapidly spreads when it’s on the menu.

Warner Bros.

On the legendary govt eating room, the ocean bass swims out the door. It’s served with farroto, English peas, fava beans, sorrel sauce, Parmesan cheese and mint gremolata.

Paramount

Initially the RKO commissary the place Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz met, the studio eating room adjustments its menu each six weeks, and each day specials are made with seasonal elements. Perennial favourite: the black cod.

Disney

One of many objects exhausting to preserve in inventory on the worker commissary on the Disney lot is the Dole Whip, the well-known pineapple tender frozen deal with that was solely accessible on the market at Disney Parks and and Disney cruise ships till 2023 when hit the retail market. It’s each vegan and gluten free.

A model of this story appeared in the Oct. 30 problem of The Hollywood Reporter journal. Click on right here to subscribe.