Fire-Survivor Restaurant Gets Uplifting Mural in Altadena

A new mural by world-renowned Los Angeles artist Robert Vargas will be unveiled Saturday at Fairoaks Burger, celebrating the resilience of the Altadena community following devastating January wildfires.

The mural, facing E. Calaveras Street at the restaurant located at 2560 Fair Oaks Ave., honors both the beloved eatery that miraculously survived the fires and the community’s ongoing recovery efforts.

Fairoaks Burger, owned and operated by sisters Janet and Christy Lee, has become a symbol of survival and community solidarity. The restaurant sustained heavy damage during the Eaton Wildfire but underwent significant remediation and is set to reopen for business June 14.

The unveiling coincided with a free farmers’ market held in the restaurant’s parking lot from 9 a.m. to noon, part of an ongoing partnership between Fairoaks Burger and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s Food for Health program.

The unveiling is scheduled for 10 a.m. Vargas is expected to attend.

Since early March, the Lee sisters have hosted weekly farmers’ markets to provide vital support to residents struggling with food access following the fires. The joint effort addresses food insecurity in one of the country’s most expensive cities, particularly for those facing housing and financial challenges after the wildfire.

Food for Health launched in 2021 to provide free access to fresh produce, bread, eggs and other staples. The program responded immediately to January’s Southern California wildfires, beginning relief efforts Jan. 8 at the Pasadena Convention Center and serving the Palisades Wildfire Command Center on Santa Monica Beach.

Over several weeks following the Eaton Fire, Food for Health provided more than 60,000 hot meals to fire evacuees and an additional 15,000 hot meals to first responders in Pacific Palisades.

The organization operates a weekly food pantry at AHF’s Sinclair Hotel, which also features a Robert Vargas mural unveiled in April. The free Community Farmers’ Market at Fairoaks Burger continues every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.

Carlos Marroquin, national director for Food for Health, said the mural reflects “the spirit of hope, survival, and the ongoing commitment to serve our neighbors with dignity and care.”

The Lee sisters described having their restaurant serve as one of Vargas’ iconic canvases as an incredible honor and said they hope it will bring attention to collective efforts to “build Altadena back better while preserving our distinct neighborhood culture.”