Michael Castaneda Droma

Chef Michael brings over a decade of experience in some of the most celebrated kitchens in Los Angeles and beyond. He sharpened his craft at The Bazaar by Jose Andres, where bold flavors and relentless precision were the standard, and at Sotto, one of LA's most revered Italian kitchens. He went on to lead the house-made salumi program at Cantinetta Luca in Carmel, mastering the art of curing, aging, and coaxing deep flavor out of simple ingredients.

That same obsession followed him to Seoul, where he opened his own scratch-kitchen restaurant, baking artisan breads, brining and smoking proteins in-house, and building every plate from the ground up. Most recently, he led the kitchen at Sugo Social, designing a menu that earned a loyal following and proved he could deliver both creativity and consistency at scale.

At Solera, Michael is doing what he does best: cooking with intention. Every dish on the menu reflects his belief that great food starts with great ingredients, treated with respect and finished with care. From hand-selected charcuterie and seasonal small plates to mains that are meant to be savored alongside a perfect glass of wine, his kitchen is built around flavor, craft, and the kind of attention to detail you can taste in every bite. This is his kitchen, and he wouldn't have it any other way.