Building on his commitment to enhance Los Angeles’ noted Westwood neighborhood and continue serving local diners, residents, businesses, and the UCLA community, Executive Chef Joseph Gillard at Napa Valley Grille announces his candidacy for election to a business seat on the Westwood Neighborhood Council. The election for the 19-member board of the Westwood Neighborhood Council will be held on Saturday, June 26, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Westwood Recreation Center on Sepulveda Boulevard. According to city election rules, all who live, work, study, shop, or patronize businesses and restaurants in Westwood—including all of Napa Valley Grille’s customers, employees, and vendors—are eligible to vote.
Gillard aspires to make a difference in the Westwood neighborhood by leading initiatives that will address business development and revitalization. His vision includes reestablishing the historic Westwood Village district as a premier dining and shopping destination by helping recruit more upscale restaurants and retailers. “I believe that the Westwood Neighborhood Council will benefit from having a local business leader like me on its team of advocates. Through my daily interaction with Napa Valley Grille guests, I understand their goals and dreams for Westwood Village. This is an extraordinary neighborhood, and as a chef and active member of the community, I will bring a realistic and goal-oriented perspective to the Neighborhood Council, with the vision of making Westwood Village more attractive to our neighbors who live, work, and visit here.†Gillard is part of a group of committed Westwood business leaders, neighbors and community stakeholders running as “Team Westwood,†who are already working with key local organizers for the revitalization and advancement of Westwood.
A long-time believer in enhancing Westwood’s quality of life, Gillard has been active in the Westwood community since his arrival in 2007. Through his work at Napa Valley Grille, he supports local family farms, launched his own Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, and hosts weekly Chef’s Tour of the Westwood Village Farmers’ Market. Most recently, he played a key role in the first-ever Westwood and UCLA Volunteer Day on April 17, 2010, preparing and donating gourmet boxed lunches for over 450 student volunteers. Outside of the kitchen, Gillard regularly contributes his time to numerous Los Angeles fundraisers, including Meals on Wheels, the Los Angeles Opera Wine Auction, and the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Through the restaurant, he also actively supports many leading Westwood arts and cultural institutions including the Geffen Playhouse, Hammer Museum, UCLA Live, Reprise, Los Angeles Film Festival, and Westwood Village Business Association, as well as Westwood’s many public and private schools, institutions, and non-profit organizations. Gillard’s community involvement is in addition to his daily commitment to providing Westwood residents, neighbors, business executives, UCLA community members, visitors, and more with the best dining experience possible.
Voting Information
The Westwood Neighborhood Council boundaries are Sunset Boulevard to the north, Santa Monica Boulevard to the south, the Beverly Hills city border to the east, and the 405 Freeway to the west. The polling location for the Westwood Neighborhood Council election will be at Westwood Recreation Center at 1350 S. Sepulveda Blvd. (behind the Federal Building, between Ohio and Wilshire Blvd.) from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, June 26, 2010. Vote By Mail is available to anyone with a religious restriction or a physical disability. Vote By Mail applications may be obtained by calling the City Clerk at (213) 978-8050. The deadline for requesting a Vote By Mail application is Wednesday, June 16. Completed Vote By Mail ballots must be received by the City Clerk by Saturday, June 26.
About Napa Valley Grille
Napa Valley Grille is located in Los Angeles’s Westwood Village neighborhood. It is open for lunch Monday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. and for dinner Monday through Thursday from 5:30-10 p.m.; Friday from 5-11 p.m.; Saturday from 5-11 p.m.; and Sunday from 5-9 p.m. Brunch is served on Sunday from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Valet parking and street parking are available. Reservations can be made by calling 310.824.3322. For more information on the restaurant, as well as special dinners and events,
Please visit www.napavalleygrille.com, find the restaurant on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NapaValleyGrilleWestwood, or follow it on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NVGwestwood.
