Meet Our Committee of the Most Discerning Gentlemen in San Diego

From left: Esteban Lopez, Founder and chief creative officer at Esteban Interiors; Jeff Svitak, Architect at Jeff Svitak Inc.; Greg Frey Jr., Executive chef at Golden Door; JoJo Ruiz, Partner and executive chef at Lionfish and Serea; Angelo Sosa, Chef and co-owner at Death By Tequila.

It can be helpful, at the start of a party, to make a few introductions. And while some of the gentlemen featured in this spread may already be known to you, please allow us a bit of formality. We’re at the beginning of something big.

This month, Modern Luxury, the owner of this magazine, launches mensbook.com. The first thing to do, we decided, was to get some conversations started with the men in San Diego—the fellows who have a strong hand in making the city such a vibrant, stylish and exciting place to live. Please meet interior designer Esteban Lopez, who is also a self-proclaimed foodie and aspiring chef. Say hello to architect Jeff Svitak, who never misses a chance to take to the ice with his hockey team in La Jolla. And of course, executive chef Greg Frey Jr., who can almost always be found either on his surfboard or tending to his bees. When chef JoJo Ruiz isn’t in the kitchen, you’ll probably find him in the boxing gym training with Jose Cital. And while you have probably seen chef Angelo Sosa on Top Chef, did you know that he was once an aspiring professional baseball player? In the coming months, you’ll be hearing a lot more about them—and from them. They have been tapped as inaugural members of The Committee, a council of gents across the country who will lend their knowledge to mensbook.com.

Mensbook.com will be a curated resource, a go-to place for the finest products the luxury market has to offer. We’ll bring you the latest watches, wine and spirits. We’ll take the latest automobiles for a spin and try on the newest collections from top men’s designers. We’ll deliver gorgeous spaces designed to inspire your own home. Maybe even offer some gift-giving advice. Plus, much more. -David Zivan, editor-in-chief, mensbook.‌com