Chef Evan Funke is known for crafting unforgettable plates at his restaurants Mother Wolf and Bar Avoja. Through pasta, pizza, seafood, desserts, and more, he has gained acclaim for honoring Italy’s regional traditions and flavors through careful techniques, from hand-rolled pasta to thoughtfully composed menus that celebrate time, place, and ritual. Yet even within that world of precision, Funke isn’t afraid to revisit a different kind of classic.
This season, he’s bringing back the cult-favorite burger that first garnered a loyal following nearly two decades ago, now available in limited quantities at Bar Avoja as a playful late-night indulgence. Available only on Thursdays all evening, and limited to just 20 burgers per night, its release feels less like a menu addition and more like an event. The revival arrives alongside a slate of new projects—including a second cookbook, product launches, and future restaurant concepts.
Whitewall caught up with Funke to discuss the return of the iconic burger, his enduring passion for pasta, the Los Angeles spots he’s loving right now, and what’s next.
Portrait of Evan Funke by Wonho Frank Lee.
Bar Avoja burger, photo by Frank Lee, courtesy of Evan Funke.
Beyond Pasta and Pizza
WHITEWALL: At Bar Avoja, inside Mother Wolf in LA, you’ve brought back the highly acclaimed burger, with only 20 available per night. What prompted this decision?
EVAN FUNKE: To put it simply, what is a great bar without a great burger?
WW: How does this cult-following “drop” mentality shape your approach to culinary? What does it bring?
EF: I try not to pay too much attention to fads and typically do what I feel moved to do. LA is a great place to eat cheeseburgers, and I thought Avoja was a great space for this burger.
Mother Wolf LA, courtesy of Evan Funke.
Favorites of Chef Evan Funke
WW: Aside from this burger, you’re known for your pasta. Tell us a bit about your early affinity for pasta and pasta-making.
EF: I think there are a couple of documentaries that go into illustrious detail about this, but Italy became my North Star and pasta my compass. Pasta has proven to be a most cherished part of my life—not just the technical aspects but the culture, history, and the people who continue to practice this craft every day.
WW: What’s your favorite pasta dish to eat, outside of the restaurant? Where?
EF: Too numerous to count, gun to my head, tortellini in brodo made by my teacher Alessandra Spisni. The spaghetti alle vongole at Da Dora in Napoli is a close second.
Mother Wolf LA, photo by Eric Wolfinger, courtesy of Evan Funke.
Bar Avoja cocktails, photo by Robiee Ziegler, courtesy of Evan Funke.
Where to Eat & Sip in Los Angeles
WW: When you’re not in the kitchen in LA, where are you dining or drinking right now?
EF: I’m not drinking right now, but I’ve been known to enjoy an ice-cold martini. My good friends at the Benjamin do a great job. I like good cooks who work hard and take good care of their teams. I am very excited about Pizzeria Sei and their new location—William is a real technical dude. Love what Brian Dunsmoor is doing at Dunsmoor. Thoroughly enjoy any meal at Kato; Jon is a special talent. Love everything that Dave Beran does. Petitgrain Boulangerie has shaken my foundation of what can be achieved in America as far as viennoiserie is concerned. Jyann Isaac is making some extraordinary bread. I could go on.
Mother Wolf LA , photo by Eric Wolfinger, courtesy of Mother Wolf Group.
WW: What are you cooking at home at the moment?
EF: Scrambled eggs for my wife. Salmon and rice for my French bulldogs.
WW: How does living in LA impact what you’re doing in the kitchen?
EF: Los Angeles is one of the most dynamic and diverse places to cook in the entire country. It has an unrivaled palette of local farms to paint from and an incredibly strong and close-knit hospitality community that shows up for each other when shit hits the fan. LA is my city and California is my state, forever.
WW: Can you share your perfect 24 hours in LA—morning, noon, and night?
EF: Based on the fact that I sleep four to six hours a night, this reduces a perfect day down to 20 hours. I’d start with drinking drip coffee at my home before the sun comes up, kiss the dogs good morning, and let my wife sleep in. I’d drive through the Angeles Forest in a Porsche. Stop for a breakfast burrito with tater tots, as tater tots are the only suitable potato product that should be allowed in a breakfast burrito. Stretch. Go to work. All three of them. Dream. Teach. Tell stories. Make pasta. Feed people. Spread love. Rinse, repeat.
Mother Wolf LA, courtesy of Evan Funke.
Bar Avoja cocktail, photo by Robiee Ziegler, courtsy of Evan Funke.
What’s Next for Chef Evan Funke
WW: What else are you working on in 2026?
EF: I’m working on my second cookbook. A few untitled TV projects. An extraordinary food product line called Funke Foods. A handful of new restaurants. Good relationships. Mental and physical health. Being the best mentor and teammate I can be. Peace.
