This restaurant *is* the community

Located a stone's throw from LAX, Tomat is redefining what a neighborhood restaurant can be. Owners (and married couple) Harry Posner and Natalie Dial have built a multifaceted space that shifts seamlessly from morning pastries to dinner service, rooftop trivia nights and private events—all while maintaining a rigorous commitment to sustainability and seasonality.

In this conversation, they share how thoughtful systems, cross-utilized ingredients and a science-driven ethos shape both their operations and their vision for community-centered hospitality. 

—Interview by Kelly Dobkin, edited by Bianca Prieto

Tomat integrates multiple service modes—pastry and coffee in the morning, full dinner service, a rooftop bar and private events. What operational strategies or systems have you put in place to manage these diverse service periods while maintaining a cohesive brand experience?

Natalie: We’re really lucky to have a space that supports multiple service modes—each is designed to be accessible to a variety of people and preferences in our community. We’ll have LMU and Otis students who come in weekly for pastries and coffee, while couples and families might be our regulars for dinner. Local groups will show up every week for trivia nights on our rooftop terrace during the summer, and all sorts of businesses and friend groups will book private dining events throughout the year. 

This type of flexibility in our services and spaces is also beginning to feel like a necessity given the challenges restaurants face in the current climate.  

Harry: The standard and quality of food are meant to be cohesive throughout the day, whether you’re coming in for a quick pastry on your way to work or are in for a long dine with cocktails and wine over dinner. We eventually hope to host cooking demos and classes in our second-floor kitchen, as well as garden tours and education for kids in the community. So, we’ve got a lot going on, but are leaving room for growth and flexibility over the coming years. 

(Photo credit Ashley Randall)

What leadership practices have you prioritized to build your team, retain talent and ensure your service standards reflect Tomat’s vision as the business grows?

Harry: Our ethos for sustainable practices, sourcing and service standards was pretty concrete before opening. When we have new staff come on board, they do need to wrap their heads around our systems because it’s not the norm for a lot of kitchens: we make as many things in house as possible, have to adapt to seasonal (sometimes weekly) changes in produce and are challenged to minimize waste by getting the most out of ingredients that we can. We pass ingredients between our savory and pastry kitchens and our cocktail and fermentation programs so that there’s a cohesive voice throughout the seasons and maximum use from each item. And chefs can always get involved in our garden just down the street (where all our scraps and menus are composted) to get creative about this season’s produce and planning what’s next.

Even though it’s challenging and takes a lot of patience and research to do things this way, it’s really rewarding. We’re having a lot of fun. 

As former health professionals, how does that knowledge work its way into Tomat's concept and menu (if at all)? 

Natalie: To me, we’re still very much working in health and community, just in a different way. Science shows up all over our kitchen, especially in our ferments, dry aging and cocktail programs. Our concept of health might just be expanded now—we’re thinking about health through food, the health of our staff and the health of our built environment. So of course, we’re giant advocates of local produce and the farm-to-table movement, but also realize the benefits of regenerative farming, ranching and fishing. We’re very proud that our restaurant and rooftop gardens contribute green space and support local pollinators, and we feel deeply linked to the vibrancy and health of our neighboring businesses and the surrounding community. 

Obviously, we love to share our inner workings with guests! You can find an illustrated booklet called ‘Science & Sustainability at Tomat’ on our website or for purchase in store.   

And I mean… for the inevitable cut, burn, or weird symptom, it’s always nice to have an actual doctor in the house just in case.

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The Prep is written by Kelly Dobkin and edited by Bianca Prieto