Elliott Townsend was born and raised in National City, and along with his wife Kelly, who grew up in Point Loma, the husband-and-wife chefs’ team has found a permanent restaurant at Long Story Short in North Park, which is opening on Aug. 15. They recently concluded a 20-month guest kitchen residency at Vino Carta Solana Beach, a sip-and-shop wine bar and store. Although they now live in North Park, Elliott Townsend said that he still has his family roots in National City, with his mother and immediate cousins still living there.
The dynamic chef duo met at the Art Institute of California where they both earned bachelor’s degrees in culinary management. The Townsends, who previously cooked at Juniper & Ivy and Cowboy Star, respectively, craft their menu of California cuisine every few weeks based on what they can source locally and seasonally. They work with several purveyors, including Chino Farms in Rancho Santa Fe and Saraspe Seafoods out of Seaforth in Mission Bay.
“This is not just a restaurant,” Elliott Townsend said. “It’s a collection of things Kelly and I have compiled to tell a story – a story of time, places, and people from our more than 10 years together. We are from this city, and we love it dearly. The meals we are going to create are an evolution of our relationship, our journey, and what’s still to come. The music is what we listen to, the wine is what we drink, and the food is what we believe you should be eating at this precise moment. Long story short, this is us, and North Park is our home.”
Elliott Townsend said he comes from Mexican descent, along with being a “European mutt” on the other half. His wife Kelly has a German Irish background.
“Really my culinary journey started back in my grandmother’s house in National City,” he said. “A Hispanic/Latino household. Grandma making a pot of beans every day. Very thoughtful homestyle cooking,” he said. “My wife and I met in culinary school, and we were able to strike up a relationship not only in love, but in art and esthetics. That has been the biggest factor in our longevity. We have been together about 15 years cooking and creating together. It has been an interesting journey.”
Townsend said what is interesting about Long Story Short it that it is a collusion of their friendship and love, but also their relationship with San Diego locals.
“That is what we try to exude onto the plate as we cook,” he said. “First, we thought it would be good to do something along the lines of making food that represents San Diego. We thought that to be disingenuous. We do not think we have the ability to represent such a wide spectrum of people and cultures. So, we decided to do something that represents us as an entity together. Hopefully, the location of San Diego translates through ingredients and our relationships with other artisans.”
Some of the dishes expected on opening night are dry-aged local bluefish tuna, corn agnolotti, and white sea bass crudo. There are six taps for draft beer, and Long Story Short will always feature independent craft breweries in San Diego.
“The renaissance of San Diego’s food scene continues to make heads turn when chefs like Elliott and Kelly come to the forefront,” said Long Story Short Managing Partner Patrick Ballow. “Their dedication to their craft will take Long Story Short to the top of the food chain here in their hometown.”
