With about 30 years of experience in several kitchens, chef Daniel Pfeifer-Kotz is bringing his culinary skills to the 7,200-square-foot rooftop restaurant Lemon Grove in Hollywood, where he has some big knives to live up to.

“We’re going with California, Mediterranean and fresh seasonal ingredients — that’s kind of the direction I’m going for here, and I’m trying to pair in those Latin flavor profiles I grew up with,” said the western Massachusetts native, who just took over as executive chef of the restaurant, which originally opened in 2022 under chef Marcel Vigneron, from Bravo’s “Top Chef” show.

“I remember seeing him on TV when I was a younger chef. I feel like I’ve taken this in a direction that I think the restaurant should go in. Whatever the past may have been, I think it’s time for a little kick start, and I really want to be the person to bring Lemon Grove to new people as well as having our old guests enjoy us too,” Pfeifer-Kotz said.

The new executive chef began his career in the kitchen at age 15, starting as a dishwasher before earning a degree at the Culinary Institute of America and later working at places like Cacao in Miami and the celebrated Beauty & Essex. He’s been busy at his new gig, putting his mark on the scenic restaurant with nearly a dozen new dishes on the menu.

Some of the highlights include hamachi crudo, a shareable appetizer plate made with Castelvetrano olives, navel orange and red onion.

“We take this olive puree and use it as a cure. So the hamachi cures overnight in this olive and citrus mash-up that we make,” he said. “You have this subtle flavor of this olive citrus, the salt — all that comes together with the fish.”

Another is the roasted half chicken served with an herb jus with mushrooms, Brussels sprouts and rainbow carrots. The chicken is brined overnight with French herbs, then pan-seared before being roasted in the oven.

“You have those layers, with the earthiness from the mushrooms and carrots and that kind of nicer green Brussels sprout, and with the chicken and the demi, you got a beautiful dish,” he said.

He’s also offering new brunch items like the kimchi scramble, which mixes eggs and garlic chile oil, sesame and green onion and is served with grilled sourdough.

“I think this highlights quality eggs. We make our own crispy garlic chile oil in house. It has a little bit of heat but lots of depth of flavor,” Pfeifer-Kotz said.

Lemon Grove at The Aster is at 1717 Vine St., Los Angeles. For more information go to lemongrovela.com