Acclaimed Chefs Reimagine Mall Food Court at Chain's LA Debut Chain, the pop-culture dining brand founded by B.J.
Novak, will open its first long-term residency at Westfield Topanga Mall on September 2, marking a significant expansion into physical retail. The concept will occupy Topanga Social within the mall for six months, positioning itself as a higher-end take on the traditional food court. The residency features four chefs with established reputations: Roy Choi, who launched the Kogi BBQ food truck movement and appears on Netflix's The Chef Show; Mason Hereford, founder of New Orleans' Turkey and the Wolf; Mei Lin, a Top Chef winner and Food Network Tournament of Champions IV victor; and Calvin Eng, chef-owner of Brooklyn's Bonnie's and a Food & Wine Best New Chef honoree. "The same way people have a deep down primal love for the chains of our childhoods, we feel that way about the malls that have always featured them," said B.J. Novak. "Celebrating mall food courts felt like the next step for us, and Westfield is the perfect partner to reimagine the food, brands and memories that shaped American pop culture."
General Mills Partnership Chain will also collaborate with General Mills on limited-edition snacks and desserts using the cereal brand's portfolio. The partnership aims to transform familiar breakfast flavors into "fun, unexpected and one-of-a-kind creations," according to the announcement. Additional details about both the chef menus and General Mills collaboration will be disclosed in coming weeks.
Why It Matters
For operators, Chain's approach signals growing interest in elevated, experience-driven food court concepts that blend nostalgia with chef-driven quality—a potential new category in mall redevelopment as traditional anchor retailers fade.
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Written by FBM Publications Editors
