VANESSA TILAKA – Agnes Owner/Head Cheese
Vanessa Tilaka’s family has been in the food business for several generations, beginning with her grandparents in Thailand who owned a restaurant below their apartment. Her father and his brothers came to America in the late 1960s. Because they were missing the essential ingredients of home, they opened the first Thai market in Los Angeles on Melrose just off the 101 freeway. As a young child, Tilaka spent much time running around the store aisles with her younger siblings and cousins. This was often followed by big family-style meals with lots of different dishes at their home in Montebello.
After attending Cal State LA for Business Management, Tilaka went to the Art Institute, Orange County for a degree in Culinary Arts. After graduation, the combination of her upbringing and a passion for creating, led Tilaka to a wide variety of opportunities within the hospitality industry. Her first Sous Chef job was with Bryant Ng at the award-winning Spice Table in Downtown Los Angeles before heading north to San Francisco’s Flour+Water, where she would meet her husband and business partner Thomas Kalb. Tilaka also worked under award-winning chef Melissa Perello at Octavia and more recently, M. Georgina. While Tilaka shined as a cook, cheese kept calling. Her discipline, efficient nature and desire to keep learning quickly grew into cheesemonger positions at Fisher’s Cheese and Wine, followed by Monsieur Marcel and Cookbook Market.
Tilaka and Kalb opened their first solo venture, Agnes, a full-service restaurant and cheesery in Old Pasadena in June 2021. Tilaka is officially Head Cheese, focused on the cheesery offerings that span day to evening, takeaway wines and overall operations.
THOMAS KALB – Agnes Owner/Executive Chef
Thomas Kalb began his restaurant career as a dishwasher at Happy Chef Diner in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, not far from his hometown of Iowa City. After quite some time, he saved up enough money to buy a car with the intent of delivering pizzas with a friend as his next move. He quickly became the cook of the pizza shop and fell in love with the hustle and bustle in the back of house. The owner of the restaurant was Lebanese. Kalb experienced her family’s annual Ramadan feast firsthand, opening his eyes to exotic spices, dolmas, hand pies and different cooking techniques. The owner would later encourage him to attend nearby Kirkwood Community College for Culinary Arts.
After graduation, Kalb went on to cook at Lula Café in Chicago before moving to San Francisco where he honed his skills in award-winning kitchens including Flour+Water, Al’s Place (One Michelin Star), Slanted Door Group and Bar Agricole (James Beard Awards Bar Program, Design). Throughout his career, Kalb never lost sight of dinner being a mandatory family event in his own childhood home.
His mother worked at the local grocery store for over 25 years and cooked dinner every night for her four children. Except for sports practice, there was no excuse to miss a group meal.
Kalb is now settled in Los Angeles with his wife/business partner Vanessa Tilaka and their dog Clementine.
The pair opened their first solo venture, Agnes, in Old Pasadena. The restaurant and cheesery, named after Kalb’s maternal grandmother, launched in June 2021, with him at the helm of the kitchen as Executive Chef. Kalb’s combined Midwest hospitality and culinary style is full of nostalgia, comfort and tradition turned a bit modern for the whole family.