History

Both Sheri and George Rifold have had a passion for food and restaurants for a long time.  George grew up in the industry.  As a young boy, his grandfather was a pastry chef and baker in Montreal.  His grandmother and mother ran a restaurant.  His knowledge, skills and passions were absorbed as if by osmis as a teenager.  For Sheri, the passion and the dream came a little later.  As a student in Sheridan, Wyoming, she became a hostesoss at a Steakhouse on a ranch.  The restaurant operated by a husband and wife served everything fresh, including the beef from their own ranch to the society of Wyoming including the Governor, Senators and Congressman.  Her dream became to have a restaurant like this one.

When the couple met, they were both pursuing their own careers — George an engineer and Sheri a banker.  But their love of food, their enjoyment of hospitality and their dreams of being restauranteurs were always there.  While they knew they could never start with the restaurant of their dreams — as it would cost millions — they decided to start small.  In 1988, they were offered a small space on 3rd Street in Santa Monica and in 1989; the first George’s Bistro was opened.

The family remembers the challenges and frustrations of the early years - working seven a days a week with their children at their sides (homework and naps in the restaurant).  Several redesigns of the décor (from murals to an indoor volleyball court), serving samples to people waiting on the movie line in front of the restaurant and using manikins to make the space seem full to passers by were used to attract a following.  But everything changed for the better in 1993 when they hired Chef Michael, a master chef from Czechoslovakia, who had been trained at L’Escoffier.  His focus on the menu and the meticulous training of the staff transformed the restaurant.

George’s Bistro on the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica became a great success.  At times, people were even seen eating from To Go containers outside of the restaurant because no tables were available.  Over the years, the restaurant has made a lot of loyal customers and friends — including many people from the entertainment industry.  And the main joy of the Rifold family is hearing the excitement in the restaurant, watching the enjoyment on people’ faces and seeing them come back over and over again.

In 2006, the Rifold family opened its second location in Valencia, Sheri’s family home.  With all that they have learned about the restaurant business, the Valencia George’s Bistro was designed to be a chef’s dream and to create an extraordinary casual dining experience for their customers.  With the help of their daughter Diana (who learned the business from the age of 12 in Santa Monica), George’s Bistro brings the dedication to meticulous food preparation and extraordinary service in a family environment to the Valencia location.

The Rifold family is not finished yet.  The still have dreams of the ultimate restaurant and keep their planning process at the front of their minds!