Porterhouse is dedicated to the memory of Ron Porter.

Firefighter. Friend. Chef.

Ron Porter always wanted to be a firefighter. During his time at the L.A. Fire Academy, as a way to improve his odds, he would cook meals for the firefighters and clean the engines at the firehouses he hoped to get into. Upon graduation, his efforts paid off, and he easily found a home.

And as much as he loved being a firefighter, he equally loved cooking and became known in the firehouse for his ingenuity in the kitchen. He loved to create his own recipes, specifically ones with fresh meat and fish his friends hunted and caught. He’d often connect with friends who owned local restaurants to share his recipes, discussing his dream of owning his own restaurant, even getting offers from a couple local restaurants to do pop-ups.

In 2001, while in Northern California doing wildfire training exercises, a tree landed dangerously close to Ron, causing him to fall off a cliff, falling multiple stories into a ravine. Miraculously, Ron survived the fall, but this day happened to be September 11th, 2001, and all aircraft had been grounded indefinitely. He waited for hours on end to be rescued, but his grit and zest for life kept him going. He spent the next year in bed as he recovered from his injuries and after extensive rehab, returned to his firehouse as a firefighter. He continued to fight fires for another 15 years until lingering issues with his leg forced him to put his 17 year career to a close.

But retirement couldn’t keep Ron down, so he decided he would try his hand at real estate. Being a quick learner, smart and likeable, Ron thrived and was incredibly successful in his new career.

But in 2021, life took a serious turn when Ron went to the doctor for some stomach issues and after running a series of tests, the doctor told him that he had Stage IV Pancreatic Cancer. Sadly, in the fall of 2021, at the age of 50 years old, we lost our friend to cancer after just three months.

One year later, an opportunity to open a restaurant in El Segundo arose and we decided it was time Ron got his restaurant. In the summer of 2023, we proudly opened our doors in Ron’s name. It’s an honor to have his fireman jacket overlooking all that we do here, serving as a constant source of inspiration.

This is Porter’s House.