Named for the London underground railway line where Executive Chef/ Proprietor Brendan Collins initiated his youthful world adventures, Waterloo & City is the newest addition to Culver City’s red-hot restaurant scene.

Though Collins (Los Angeles’ Melisse, Anisette and Palihouse), and his partner GM/ Proprietor Carolos Tomazos (New York’s Per Se and Le Bernardin) hail from some of the world’s most respected fine dining establishments, Waterloo & City is a traditional British gastropub; meaning, it has the relaxed, easy atmosphere of an English pub while serving extraordinary gastronomic cuisine.

Collins and Tomazos, who met while working together at Palihouse, know how to do “haute,” but truly wanted to create a fun, accessible neighborhood spot where their guests can enjoy a sophisticated, nuanced menu, knock back a few pints or do both at the same time!

Carolos Tomazos was born on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, a nation known for its superb tourism and hospitality industry. His mother, a chef, encouraged him to pursue the restaurant industry as a career and despite his love and appreciation for fine cooking he chose a career in front of the house operations.

Tomazos received formal training in Vienna, Austria where he graduated from the prestigious Hotel Management School, Modul. During his time in Vienna, he worked for several luxury hotels including Imperial, The Plaza and the Vienna Hilton. From there he moved to the Greek island of Mykonos, where he opened one of the most exclusive hotels on the island, Cafo Tagoo.

His passion for travel led him to positions on board cruise liners including the German flagged Hanseatic, a Berlitz guide 5-star rated ship as well as Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth II where he became the sommelier. A successful career at sea ended on board Cunard’s flagship cruiser The Sea Goddess II, which eventually landed him in New York City.

In New York, Chef Alain Ducasse invited Tomazos to join the opening management team at his eponymous restaurant at the Essex House Hotel, which earned a four star rating from The New York Times and three Michelin stars. He then moved on to open Per Se with Thomas Keller as part of the management team. Per Se was an instant success and earned four stars from The New York Times and three Michelin stars. As the restaurant director of Gilt at the New York Palace Hotel, Tomazos garnered the highest rating on the Zagat Guide, 28 points, in service. A career in New York City culminated with a management position at Eric Ripert’s Le Bernardin, another four star New York Times and three Michelin star rated restaurant.

In 2009, Tomazos and his wife Sara moved to Los Angeles to seek out new challenges. Partnering with Brendan Collins, Tomazos will bring his extensive experience in restaurant management to Waterloo & City as front of house manager. Born in Nottingham, England, at the age of 15 Brendan Collins quit secondary school to follow his dream and enroll in culinary school. A true talent, by 17 he had his first job at a Michelin two-star restaurant, Le Gravroche in London. He continued to hone his French technique at some of London’s top gastronomic temples including The Café Royal, The Heights and Pied et Terre.

Collins’ first executive chef position was at The Calls Grill in Leeds. Under his direction, the fledgling dining room received the prestigious Michelin Bib Gourmand in 1999. Soon after, Collins returned to London to work as a sous chef at Oxo Tower Restaurant, a modern British restaurant owned by the Harvey Nichols Group, before accepting the position as sous for celebrity chef Marco Pierre White at Quo Vadis. While there, Collins garnered one Michelin Star and earned a reputation as one of London’s rising culinary talents.

At the behest of celebrated chef Josiah Citrin, Collins moved to Los Angeles in 2002 to serve as chef de cuisine at his acclaimed Melisse Restaurant in Santa Monica. During his four year tenure at Melisse, the restaurant received the Mobile Four Star Rating each year and was among the first California dining destinations to be awarded a coveted Michelin two star rating. Collins left Melisse to open Mesa in Orange County; as executive chef there, the restaurant enjoyed great critical and popular success. Collins returned to Santa Monica to open Anisette with Alain Giraud. Not long after the opening, he was lured away by an offer to become executive chef of The Hall at Palihouse. There he solidified his individual culinary style and gained fan following while winning critical acclaim.

As Executive Chef and Proprietor at Waterloo & City, Collins combines his impeccable French technique, seasonal California ingredients and imitable “British lad” attitude to create a cuisine that’s at once comforting and exciting. Drawing on his training in butchery and belief in using the whole animal, Collins is dedicated to using only the best ingredients and cooking food that he likes to eat.

Collins is a dedicated husband to wife, Eden Rountree Collins, and father to daughter, Saffron Rose Collins. Designers Thoreen&Ritter transformed Crest House Family Restaurant, a greasy spoon that occupied the space for nearly 40 years and closed in 2006, into a modern multi-dimensional space that balances the comfort of a pub with notes of whimsy.

Unexpected pops of color accent architectural details: recycled church pews that provide seating in the lounge are brightly painted in hues of pink, brown and orange; overstuffed taupe suede banquettes are accented by lime baseboards and black, high-backed wooden chairs.

There is a large communal table in the lounge which anchors the 30-foot long copper-topped bar; unadorned wooden tabletops add to the relaxed feel.

Antique mirrors, silver platters, and vintage photos accent the walls while black zig-zag wainscoting provides added visual interest. A lush 800-square-foot front patio provides additional space to enjoy food and drink.