Our food should not be anonymous. That's what Zuni Café owner and executive chef Gilbert Pilgram learned from his grandmother in Mexico City, long ago, and it's a message that was echoed by the chef who propelled Zuni Café into the excellent restaurant it remains today: Judy Rodgers...
There is no shortage of seafood — or seafood lovers — in San Francisco, but Bar Crudo has been a favorite stopping place for many. The restaurant is now proudly celebrating ten years and we were lucky enough to meet with Chef Melissa Perfit...
New York has Peter Luger; San Francisco has Tadich Grill. Like the sharp and salty taste of briny oysters, there's something raw, familiar, and comfortable about the straight-shooting experience of dining at Tadich Grill...
When Steve Anderson was a young man in London, working the PA systems and managing English punk bands, including none other than the Police, he had no idea that he'd soon go on vacation to San Francisco and never come back...
Sometimes, the best things that happen to us at first seem like tragedies. Feldo Nartapura had just started working at a startup in San Francisco — he'd signed a lease and started getting settled, but through an unexpected merger/acquisition, he suddenly lost his job. Needing a quick solution to pay rent, Nartapura turned to a favorite Indonesian family recipe...
Chef Sara Hauman of Huxley, at only 28 years old, is already making waves through San Francisco's food scene — she was recently recognized by Eater as a Young Gun, joining a group of culinary professionals that have included future Top Chefs and James Beard Award winners. But Hauman isn't one to seek fame or traditional accolades...
Episode ten of Menu Stories features the perfect guest: Executive Chef Anthony Strong of the beloved Delfina Restaurant Group, who is celebrating his tenth year as chef. Delfina Group's six restaurants are heavyweight Italian spots in the Bay Area, so I was pleasantly surprised when an excited, young, punk rock gentleman wearing a dozen tattoos and a slouched beanie half-ran over to greet me: ”Hi! Are you Rebecca? I'm Anthony.“...
Discover what Lisa Fetterman, co-founder and CEO of Nomiku, a sous vide cooking device company, has to say about food and sex, what it's like to put everything on the line to get your product off the ground, and how imaginative people can be with Nomiku, creating everything from the expected sous vide proteins to tie dye clothing to cannabis infused foods...
Buenviaje, a woman whose family is a mixture of Filipino and Creole, was strongly influenced by both ethnic backgrounds, as well as the culture of her home town of New Orleans. This same influence that gave her the strength and boldness to launch her own set of restaurants has also subjected her to unpleasant situations...
What would the Mission be like without its vibrant murals? What would Valencia Street be like if you didn't smell carnitas sizzling as you walked down the street? These are the kinds of questions Caleb Zigas wants us to think about...
Pizza nachos. That might sound strange, but that's the first dish Executive Chef Adam Keough ever created, as a nine year old, growing up in North Boston (he moved to South Boston soon after). The concoction, created for friends at a slumber party, was an instant hit. Keough was hooked on cooking...
Chef Tim Archuleta and Erin Archuleta of ICHI Sushi + Ni Bar meet with Menu Stories editor, Rebecca Goberstein, in their newest restaurant, ICHI Kakiya, just one month after its opening...
La Taqueria has been a local Mission favorite for over forty years, since Jara opened it in 1973. This no-frills Mexican restaurant is loved in large part because of the warmth and humor that Jara embodies. It's clear that Jara cares deeply about each and every one of his customers...
We can't dine out every night. Nor would would we want to, for the sake of our wallets, our bellies, and for preserving the specialness of going out to eat. But cooking at home never has to be boring and those of us who love to prepare high quality food at home rely on specialty shops like Lucca Ravioli Company...
In the second episode of Menu Stories, Nopalito’s chef Gonzalo Guzman meets with Rebecca Goberstein on Nopalito on 9th's beautiful garden patio. The day was sunny, the kitchen was preparing for lunch, and the birds were kind enough to provide some background music. Raised in what he calls a "box" of a house in Veracruz, Mexico, Chef Gonzalo prepared his first meal, a pot of beans, at the age of six...
For the first episode of Menu Stories, Gwyneth Borden, Executive Director of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Restaurant Association, sits down with Rebecca Goberstein to discuss the importance of the restaurant community to San Francisco’s culture and economy, something that any city can identify with...