Tony Esnault and Yassmin Sarmadi are a power couple in the Southern California culinary scene, having gained significant critical praise for their former Los Angeles restaurants, Church & State and Spring. Both restaurants were named to“Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants”in the Los Angeles Times. Under the couple’s leadership, the restaurants were among the best in the region, which led to South Coast Plaza inviting the duo to open their greatest collaboration to date, Knife Pleat.