Caroline Styne

Caroline Styne is a restaurateur and sommelier in Los Angeles. With her business partner Suzanne Goin she operates Lucques, A.O.C., Tavern, and The Larder. She won a James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurateur in 2018.

Early life and education Styne was raised in Los Angeles. She worked as a waitress while in college. She is a master sommelier.

Career Styne started working in foodservice in 1989 at the age of 22 when she cofounded Basically Baked Inc., which distributed specialty food items to retail outlets.

Styne and Goin opened A.O.C. in 2002. Food & Wine called A.O.C. "a pioneering restaurant that was at the forefront of small-plates dining in LA" In 2015 they took over food service at the Hollywood Bowl.

In 2019 Syne predicted Albariño could become "the new Chablis or the new Burgundy." She writes wine notes for Goin's cookbooks.

During the 2020 coronavirus pandemic she was involved in leading the Independent Restaurant Coalition, an industry group founded during the pandemic to lobby the federal government for relief for restaurants and their employees.

Honors In 2018 Styne won a James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurateur. She was a semifinalist for the same award in 2014.

Personal life Styne is married to Michael Kohn, an art dealer.