Amy Larson
Staff Writer
A For nearly two years, the Malibu Beach Grill has been a busy restaurant near the Malibu Pier on Pacific Coast Highway. However, the restaurant is more than just a building. The restaurant, and the manager, Joyce Brooks Bogartz, both have a unique history that helps make the eatery special.
Malibu Beach Grill, which replaced Malibu Chicken, was opened in October of 2004 as a healthy option to the area’s many fast food establishments. The manager is a renaissance woman of sorts and has been involved in a variety of fields. After working as an entertainment publicist for 15 years, she said she felt it was time for a change and decided to look into other options. These “other options” took her through law school, the public defender’s office, and eventually, the Chabad of Malibu, a Jewish organization.
A self-proclaimed “generalist,” Bogartz had a flexible job description, and was responsible for all sorts of tasks, which eventually led her to Malibu Beach Grill.
“At the time that the rabbi was looking for an owner, I told him to consider [my husband] and me,” Bogartz said of the establishment’s owner in search of new management. The rabbi did consider Bogartz, who began working in the eatery from its beginnings nearly two years ago.
“This is like a third career for me,” Bogartz said. Indeed, she has taken on a massive job, with the restaurant being open for 16 hours most of the week and 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m Fridays. The restaurant is closed Saturdays for the Sabbath.
Even with long days and an endless line of customers, Bogartz never seems to tire or get frustrated with demanding or rude people, explaining how she “[understands] the hungry mentality.”
In addition to understanding the customer’s hunger, Bogartz said she makes an effort to be kind and respectful to everyone. People who step into the restaurant have the opportunity to make a new friend in the person who is serving them.
Bogartz spends a great deal of time interacting with the customers. Even the postman was greeted by name and given something to drink out of the eatery’s massive cooler. The kind words, the hugs and the other things Bogartz does to go out of her way to be helpful, do not go unnoticed by customers, many of whom commented to her about how soon they would be returning to the restaurant.
Beyond the friendly atmosphere, many patrons visit and revisit Malibu Beach Grill for the kosher recipes it offers. Chabad of Malibu, a Jewish organization that owns the building that houses the grill, desired a place where they could eat without worrying about whether or not the food went against their customs.
The bright yellow sign outside the restaurant displays not only the eatery’s motto (“It’s all good!”), but also a tiny symbol relays the restaurant’s kosher rating and the word “glatt.”
Glatt is the highest level of being kosher that a restaurant can attain, and the documentation of rabbis checking the restaurant is displayed on a shelf near the counter. Each thing in the restaurant is carefully detailed to ensure the highest standards of kosher.
The restaurant brings a unique way for Bogartz to integrate her faith with her work. Copies of Jewish writings sit on a shelf in the restaurant, and tiny cards that say “keep smiling” in English and Hebrew decorate the cash register.
For Bogartz, her new venture at the Malibu Beach Grill is just beginning. After living in and around Malibu for 12 years, she says feels a great tie to the community and is excited to connect with them in any way she can. Her hospitality and friendliness toward each customer make the Malibu Beach Grill unlike any other place in the area.
“I consider it an extension of my home,” Bogartz said.
09-07-2006
