Meet the Argentinian Chef Behind The Brant—One of Huntington Beach’s Newest Waterfront Restaurants

Chef Ariel Mungi-Ciarrocca Brings His Culture and Culinary Experience to Surf City USA

An only child to Maria Ciarrocca and Jorge Mungi, Chef Ariel Mungi-Ciarrocca of The Brant Kitchen & Bar in Huntington Beach grew up as another set of hands in his parent’s bakery in Córdoba, Argentina. He learned to cook out of necessity while his parents were busy selling sweet treats and putting smiles on faces. He saw first-hand the power of food—how something made with love could make someone’s day. Because, let’s face it, you can’t have a bad day when it includes dulce de leche. Inspired by his parents, Chef Ariel set off on his own culinary journey to see how he could put smiles on faces through food himself.

Credit: Ed Visions

Credit: Ed Visions

Journey

Chef Ariel began his culinary journey in Argentina, then took his talents on a whirlwind tour de food across the U.S. He flipped steaks in Florida and later served brunch and bubbles at Belmont Brewing Company in Long Beach. By then, he was simply known as “chef”, fully immersed in the rush of the kitchen. The adrenaline of feeding a nonstop crowd kept him hooked until that final ticket of the night was served.

Credit: Ed Visions

“I really like to be in the kitchen, to be creative and in steady flow with my team. There’s a lot of adrenaline in the kitchen, and I love that rush. It’s also nice to make people happy through food.”

Chef Ariel has worked everywhere, from beach shacks to banquet halls, serving people from all walks of life. He’s mastered comfort food, upscale cuisine, tortellini, tapas and everything in between. “I’ve gone from 3,000-person banquets to fine dining restaurants to hotels, Italian joints, French bistros and so on,” he says. This is a guy who loves to learn and is always refining his craft to become the most versatile chef he can be. His success in this space is a testament to every job he has had, from staging to executive chef.

Best Waterfront Restaurants Huntington Beach — Credit: Ed Visions

“I was always changing restaurants to keep growing my career and learning. I never want to get stuck in one place and stop learning.”

The Brant

After nearly three decades in the culinary world, Chef Ariel is still as excited about food as he was when he was just a kid making croissants and cakes in his parent’s bakery. He doesn’t shy away from infusing his Argentinean heritage into his food either. Whether it’s The Brant’s famous ribeye with chimichurri or their irresistible butter cake (a nod to his parents), Chef Ariel always finds a way to wink at his past while still paving the way for his future. His food is a beautiful fusion representative of his past culinary experiences. If you look closely enough, his menu tells a story of where he’s been and, perhaps, where he’s going next.

Credit: Ed Visions

Chef Ariel’s current home, The Brant, is one Huntington Beach pitstop you won’t want to pass up. Located inside Pacific City, this new hotspot offers impeccable vibes, an oversized bar, a cozy patio, and 180-degree ocean views. Every seat has a perfect view, even for Chef Ariel, who can check the surf through a giant glass window. Guests get a peek into the kitchen, watching the beautiful chaos unfold behind the scenes. Chef Ariel pours his heart and soul into a menu featuring favorites like the fried chicken sandwich and French dip.

“Our food, our drinks and our vision are great… We are always evolving and you really can’t beat the view,” he says.

Dishes

Chef Ariel personally recommends the halibut and the filet—two highly popular items on the all-day menu. And to drink? “The Old Fashioned is one of my favorites,” he says. The Brant recently launched a new brunch menu featuring sweet and savory dishes designed to satisfy any craving. There’s fluffy French toast and a beefed-up breakfast sandwich that is a total two-hander. And whatever you do, get a cinnamon roll for the table—a decision you won’t regret.

Credit: Ed Visions

In Chef Ariel’s spare time, which, truthfully, he doesn’t have a lot of, he enjoys golfing, fishing and snowboarding. Activities of which are almost year-round luxuries unique to Southern California living. He enjoys cooking comfort foods for himself, like homemade pasta, soups and steaks, always using his favorite ingredient: garlic. And when he’s feeling homesick, you might find him daydreaming about Imperial Ruso. It’s a dulce de leche layered meringue creation that was a staple in his family bakery.

This story is really just about a talented guy who loves food. What did you expect? It’s in his DNA. He loves the stress of a full dinner service and a hot kitchen. Chef loves creating new specials each weekend to spice up his menu of greatest hits. He loves garlic, seasonal ingredients and locally sourced provisions. He loves it all, and at 46 years young, he’s just getting started.

The Brant Kitchen & Bar
21058 Pacific Coast Hwy, Ste M250
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
714.369.2915
@thebranthb

Jane Adler

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Jane Adler is a marketing and branding consultant by trade, but a writer by preference. She shares a name with Meryl Streep's iconic character from It's Complicated and is presently trying to manifest that life (particularly that Santa Barbara house) for herself. Jane is an avid consumer of content and carbs and often used the latter to write on the former.