About Le Hut Dinette
Founded by Brenda and Daniel Castillo of Heritage Barbecue, Le Hut Dinette is a new West Texas diner-inspired concept nestled in the heart of Santa Ana’s historic French Park neighborhood. Led by executive chef Ryan Garlitos, the menu offers a fresh take on the diner/deli experience, re-imagining classic American diner fare with California flavors and a touch of California craft barbecue.
Ryan Garlitos
Born and raised in Orange County, Chef Ryan Garlitos, 40, began his culinary career on food trucks before becoming part of the opening team at Michelin-starred Taco Maria. He left his role as sous chef at Taco Maria to open his own restaurant in 2016. His Santa Ana-based modern Filipino food concept, Irenia Restaurant, earned him recognition as Orange County’s Best New Chef (Orange County Register, 2016) a spot on Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants (Los Angeles Times, 2017) and a Michelin Plate Award (Michelin, 2019.) He returned to Taco Maria as Chef de Cuisine in 2021 before the lauded restaurant’s closing. After a stint manning the grill at Orange County’s smash burger sensation, Mario’s Butcher Shop, he joined the award-winning Heritage Barbecue team in 2024 as Chef de Cuisine. He returned to Santa Ana in 2025 as Executive Chef at Heritage Barbecue’s American diner concept, Le Hut Dinette.
