Taste and Tribute San Francisco

We are deeply honored to work with these talented chefs for 2011.  

Chef David Taylor of A16 (Table 1) 

A native of Brooklyn, New York, David Taylor began his kitchen career by working at the acclaimed Lemaire restaurant in The Jefferson Hotel, then at One Market Restaurant and Vivande Ristorante in San Francisco. Taylor was chef de cuisine at the four-star Gargoyles Restaurant in Prague for three years, then moved back to California, where he helped open Poggio in Sausalito. He worked as executive sous chef at XYZ restaurant at San Francisco’s W Hotel before becoming executive chef at A16. He has honed the skills he learned in Europe, such as hand-making pasta and incorporating produce from small, local farms into the dishes. 

Chef Matthew Accarrino of SPQR (Table 1) 

Matthew Accarrino is a native of New Jersey. His career in the kitchen began with washing dishes, prepping ingredients and pitching around kitchens at various home-town restaurants. With a strong work ethic in tow, he graduated from The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park in 1998. He also earned a Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality Management from Fairleigh Dickinson University. After graduation, Chef Accarrino traveled to Labico, Italy—a rural town near Rome—where he cooked at the Michelin-rated Antonello Colonna restaurant. In Italy he grew an appreciation for seasonal, locally farmed food, but during his time as a sous chef for Thomas Keller’s Per Se, he learned the philosophy of finesse and the art of execution. His food is made from local ingredients and has an Italian sensibility. 

Chef Bruce Hill of Bix / Picco / Zero Zero (Table 2) 

A self-trained chef, Bruce Hill started cooking in kitchens in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco when he was 18 years old. He has since worked at many of the finest restaurants in San Francisco including Stars, Aqua, Oritalia, The Waterfront, and BIX, where he currently serves as executive chef. Bruce’s goal for the cuisine at BIX is simple: cook with the best seasonal ingredients, employ and teach great technique, and design food that is right for BIX’s classy and unique atmosphere. Bruce also opened his own restaurants, Picco and Pizzeria Picco, with his Real Restaurants partners Bill Upson and Bill Higgins in 2005. All three of his restaurants appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle’s “Top 100 Restaurants for 2007.”

Chef Erik Lowe of Bix (Table 2) 

Bix Restaurant's chef de cuisine Erik Lowe worked at the acclaimed Piperade and Tartare, and was the executive sous-chef at Ame, before joining chef Bruce Hill at Bix. 

Chef Robert Petzold of Bocadillos (Table 2) 

With a father in the hotel industry, Robert Petzold grew up traveling the world, exposing him at an early age to a wide variety of cuisine. This experience of living abroad generated a true appreciation for different flavors and customs. Shortly after graduating with a degree in geology, Petzold took up a job as a prep cook, where he immediately felt at home. After spending eight years working in restaurants around the Bay Area, he became Piperade’s Chef de Cuisine. For the past six years he has worked with Chef Hirigoyen at both Piperade and Bocadillos.

Chef Bruno Chemel of Baumé (Table 3) 

Born in Moulins, France. His extensive training includes Certificats De Travail at such Michelin three-star establishments as Vivarois, Le Grand Vefour, and Guy Savoy. Chemel has also worked as a professor at the LETNA Institute of France for two years alongside famed chef Joel Robuchon. He began his American culinary career at Le Chantilly in New York City. Chemel then went to Japan, spending four years studying macrobiotic cooking with Master Chefs. He has since returned to the United States where, after holding the position of Executive Chef for Chez TJ, he now owns Baumé in Palo Alto CA.

Chef Jean-Pierre Moullé of Chez Panisse (Table 3) 

Co-chef of the celebrated Chez Panisse, Jean-Pierre Moullé has been cooking for over 35 years. Moullé graduated from the Hotel School of Toulouse and received further culinary training in Germany and France. He moved to Washington, D.C. in 1973 and two years later he relocated to California, where he joined Alice Waters and Jeremiah Tower at Chez Panisse. Moullé returned to France from 1982 to 1985 to lead a cooking and travel program in the Bordeaux region. In 1990, he returned to Chez Panisse where he created daily menus and directed the restaurant’s team of cooks. He combines a background in classical French technique with a deep understanding of California ingredients and a love of hunting and foraging.

Chef Morgan Mueller of Jardinière (Table 4)  

A Santa Cruz native and graduate of the California Culinary Academy, Morgan Mueller has spent several years working in acclaimed San Francisco restaurants. He rose to the position of chef de cuisine during his time working at the Jardinière alongside Chefs Traci Des Jardins and Robbie Lewis. He also served as chef de cuisine at Bacar, where he moved in spring of 2007 as a member of Lewis’s “dream team.” In February of this year he replaced Lewis as executive chef. Chef Mueller’s contributions to Bacar were notable, particularly the in-house charcuterie program, which produced classics like Wild Boar Salami with Chocolate and Pork Pate with Pistachios. In September 2009, Chef Mueller returned to Jardinière as executive chef where he now serves.

Chef David Bazirgan of Fifth Floor (Table 4) 

David Bazirgan has been involved in restaurants since he was 15 years old, starting as a dishwasher in Newburyport, MA. He later decided to pursue a formal education in culinary arts at the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts. His first job out of school was at Galleria, where he forged a lifelong friendship with mentor Chef Lynch. In 1998, Bazirgan reunited with Chef Barbara Lynch at her much anticipated Restaurant, No. 9 Park, in historic Beacon Hill, an experience that proved to be the most influential experience in the development of his culinary and professional style. Bazirgan is currently Executive Chef at Fifth Floor.

Chef Sean Baker of Gather (Table 5) 

Sean Baker is a passionate chef who brings his rustic and innovative cooking style to Gather Restaurant. Sean’s menu is driven by the hard work of the farmers, ranchers, and cheese makers. By collaborating with farmers such as Linda Butler of Lindencroft Farms, he sources unique, sustainable ingredients like heirloom vegetable varietals from Italy, Spain, and other regions. After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu, Sean began a long stint at Millennium Restaurant’s vegan cookery. He worked at Zibibbo and Google’s Kitchens, and then took the role of Executive Chef at Gabriella Café where he received local and national recognition. Just before starting at Gather, Sean was the consulting Executive Chef for Bonny Doon Vineyards Cellar Door.

Chef Mark Dommen of One Market (Table 5) 

Since joining the Lark Creek Restaurant Group in 2004, Mark Dommen has upheld One Market’s traditions of excellence and innovation in American cuisine. Dommen developed his inventive style through work in some of the world’s most distinguished restaurants. Dommen has earned many professional accolades including a Michelin star for the third year in a row in the 2010 Guide, a 3½ star review from Michael Bauer, San Francisco Chronicle, his 2007 designation as a StarChefs “Rising Star” and the 2002 “Restaurant of the Year” award given to his restaurant Julia’s Kitchen by Esquire. Dommen says, “I truly enjoy experimenting with the freshest of ingredients to create entirely new and unexpected dishes. I make a point each day to ensure that the menu is a reflection of the finest produce prepared in a unique, delicious, and artistic way.”

Chef Justin Deering of Café des Amis (Table 6) 

Part-time restaurant work in high school and college introduced Deering to early chef-hood, but it wasn’t until after two years of studying engineering at the University of Maryland that Deering realized “sitting and drawing” was not the right fit for him. With the encouragement from a supervising chef, Deering enrolled and graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in New York. After working for two years at Tra Vigne in St. Helena, California, he moved to San Francisco. He has cooked for Fifth Floor, Redwood Park, Jeanty at Jack’s, Boulevard and Conduit. He is now the Chef de Cuisine of Café des Amis. He is known for his love of simple, yet refined classic brasserie dishes and his expert, technique-driven cuisine and complex presentation.  

Chef Preston Dishman of Viognier (Table 6) 

Like many successful chefs, Preston Dishman says that a life in the kitchen seemed to choose him, not the other way around. His interest in cooking began at an early age and he began to pursue it as a profession after graduating from college. He attended the French Culinary Institute in New York and went on to work at such noted restaurants as the Mobil four-star Eseeola Lodge in North Carolina, the Judson Grill in New York, and Restaurant Gary Danko in San Francisco. In 2003, he and his wife Nichole opened the Dragonfly Bistro in Fort Myers, Florida., which they sold in 2005 to run The General’s Daughter in California. Dishman now serves as executive chef at Viognier.

Chef Martin Brock of Gary Danko (Table 7) 

Raised on the family farm in Bavaria, Martin Brock developed a deep appreciation for the connection between the traditional dishes he loves and the animals and land from which they came. This respect is reflected in every aspect of Brock’s cuisine. Following a traditional apprenticeship, Brock spent 11 years working in kitchens throughout Europe – several of them, Michelin-starred. In 2004, he moved to New York where, under the guidance of Chef Gray Kunz, he merged traditional European technique, Asian flavors, and modern cuisine. After serving as executive chef at Grayz and then Atria, Brock came to the West Coast in 2009 to serve as Chef de Cuisine for Gary Danko, where he now resides.

Chef Philippe Striffeler of Restaurant Anzu (Table 7) 

A native of Switzerland, Philippe Striffeler began his culinary career by working with acclaimed chefs in both France and Switzerland. Before becoming the Executive Chef of Restaurant Anzu, he worked with Marriott’s top properties in Asia, Europe, and Saudi Arabia. During the World Culinary Championship in Taiwan, Striffeler received the bronze medal as part of the American team in 2007 and the silver medal as the captain of the American team in 2009. The Asian influence in his food comes from the vibrant and refreshing flavors of Thailand. When he’s not in the kitchen, he enjoys playing golf, hiking, and fishing.

Chef Peter Armellino of Plumed Horse (Table 8) 

A native of Long Island, Peter Armellino began cooking professionally in New York when he was 17 years old. He opened the Park Avenue Cafe in 1992 and later worked at New York City's Gotham Bar & Grill and Gramercy Tavern. Armellino came to San Francisco in 1999 and soon began work as sous-chef at Jardinière with renowned chefs Douglas Keene and Traci Des Jardins, who he also worked with on the popular TV show “Iron Chef” in 2005. Armellino went on to work as chef de cuisine at the Village Pub, Campton Place, and Aqua.  In early 2007, Armellino became the executive chef at Plumed Horse, which presents elegant, modern California cuisine and emphasizes fresh, seasonal and sustainably-produced ingredients.

Mark Richardson of Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco (Table 8) 

Once an aspiring doctor, Mark Richardson has combined his academic interest in chemistry with his lifelong passion for cooking through his pursuit of molecular gastronomy. Richardson graduated from the Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts, followed by an externship at Disneyland Paris. He then returned to his native Kentucky to work as executive chef at the renowned restaurant Emmett’s for four years before joining Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. He has spent nearly a decade with Four Seasons and has held culinary positions at Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, Four Seasons Hotel Scottsdale, Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley, and Four Seasons Hotel Boston before his appointment as executive chef at the Seasons Restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco in 2008.

Chef Laurent Manrique, Consultant Chef (Table 9) 

Manrique discovered his culinary passion during childhood while cooking with his grandmother Aurélie in the Gascon village of Roques. Following an apprenticeship with master chef Roger Duffour, Manrique trained with master chefs Yan Jacquot and Claude Deligne at Michelin-starred Taillevent and Toit de Passy in Paris. Upon a suggestion to move to United States, Manrique pursued his culinary career in Los Angeles at restaurants Fennel and Rex. In 1992, Manrique moved to New York City to take over as chef at the Waldorf Astoria’s Peacock Alley. Manrique left the Waldorf to become a partner of Gertrudes in 1997, the following year he earned the Bon Appetit’s Rising Star Chef Award. Shortly thereafter Manrique returned to join San Francisco's Campton Palace restaurant as Executive Chef, where he received rave reviews. In 2003, Manrique was named Corporate Executive Chef for Aqua. Manrique's cuisine and leadership played a significant role in the restaurants extraordinary success in San Francisco. He next ventured to Cafe de la Presse, Rouge and Blance Wine Bar, which he personally owns. In 2007, Manrique united with Christopher Condy, to form C&L partners, a restaurant development, operating, and investment company. Laurent helped guide C&L through the reopening of the Fifth Floor restaurant in 2008, followed by the grand opening of the Urban Tavern at the San Francisco Hilton. In July, 2009 Manrique resigned from the company, and the Aqua restaurant.

Chef Gerald Hirigoyen of Piperade (Table 9) 

A native of the Basque region of France, Chef Hirigoyen had already begun working with local pastry chefs by the age of 13. He moved to Paris three years later for a traditional apprenticeship with Master Patissiers Jean Millet and Dennis Ruffel. Hirigoyen immigrated to the United States in 1980 and opened Fringale in 1991. He was named one of Food & Wine’s “Best New Chefs in America” in 1994 and San Francisco Magazine’s “Chef of the Year” in 1995. In 1996, Hirigoyen opened his second restaurant, Pastis (now Piperade), which won plaudits from Esquire as one of the year’s best new restaurants. His book, The Basque Kitchen, won the Versailles Award for Best Regional Cookbook.

Chef Patrick Albert of Café de la Presse (Table 9) 

Café de la Presse Executive Chef Patrick Albert's commitment to creating traditional but innovative French fare infuses this Parisian-inspired café with authenticity. "It is always busy," he says proudly. "You can meet a lot of different people enjoying an espresso or a beef bourguignon, sipping a Ricard or having cassoulet." As the man behind the menu, Chef Albert's comments well support his culinary savoir faire. Following stints in brasseries throughout Paris, Chef Albert's position as Chef de Cuisine at the consul of Savoie in Paris stimulated him to bring a touch of France to the United States. His subsequent move to San Francisco brought him together with Chef Bruno Chemel at the Milano Hotel and then with Chef Sylvain Portay at the Ritz-Carlton Dining Room. At Café de la Presse, Chef Albert continues to bring his guests a classic, creative dining experience.

Chef Joseph Humphrey of Dixie (Table 10) 

Joseph Humphrey started his culinary career in New Orleans, where he truly fell in love with the restaurant business – the constant challenges, the energy, and above all, the dedication to the craft of cooking. There he learned contemporary Creole cuisine under one of the nation’s top restaurateurs, Dickie Brennan, at the acclaimed Palace Café. As the Executive Chef of The Restaurant at Meadowood in Napa, Joseph perfected his culinary philosophy of using the finest local, organic and sustainable ingredients available, and preparing them with the subtle influences of France, Spain, and the Mediterranean – a style now known as Bay Area cuisine. Chef Humphrey's artistry earned him a Michelin star in just a few short months after debuting the menu for Murray Circle and earned the prestigious award again in 2010. Before heading to Napa, he was corporate chef for Michael Mina, serving as chef de cuisine at Redwood Park in downtown San Francisco, working with Morrone to open Fifth Floor, and working under Morrone and another star chef, Bradley Ogden, at One Market.

Chef Dominique Crenn of Atelier Crenn (Table 10) 

Raised in Versailles, France, and after studying extensively throughout Europe, Chef Dominique Crenn first came to San Francisco in 1988. After an impressive nine years in the city, she moved to Indonesia, where she became the Executive Chef at the Intercontinental Hotel in Jakarta. Due to political turmoil in Southeast Asia, Crenn came back to California, catering for private events for such individuals as Al Gore, Sidney Poitier, and Sharon Stone. Various cultures continue to inspire her culinary craft, and she recently competed in Food Network’s “Next Iron Chef” and “Iron Chef America” competitions.

Chef Walter Abrams of Spruce (Table 11) 

Walter Abrams came to San Francisco’s Spruce restaurant after working as sous chef at the famous The French Laundryfor seven years. He spent most of his childhood in Colombia, and the Latin American flavors—along with his cooking experiences in Paris and London—have inspired his international approach to cuisine. 

Chef Dmitry Elperin of The Village Pub (Table 11) 

Originally from Minsk, Dmitry Elperin attributes his passion for cooking to his early years, when he helped his mother prepare the family’s meals using fresh vegetables from their garden. After working in restaurant kitchens in his teens and graduating from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, Elperin began his career working at Red Sage in Washington, D.C. He moved to California four years later and has since worked in celebrated San Francisco restaurants with such talented chefs as Adrian Hoffman at One Market Restaurant, Daniel Humm at Campton Place, and Laurent Manrique at Aqua. His current position as executive chef at the Village Pub allows him to combine his innovative approach with his commitment to fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Every year, between 22 and 25 chefs participate in Taste & Tribute.  

2010 CHEFS

Patrick Albert of Café de la Presse

Peter Armellino of Plumed Horse

Sean Baker of Gather

David Bazirgan of Fifth Floor

Martin Brock of Gary Danko

Bruno Chemel of Baumé

Ben Cohn of Spruce

Preston Dishman of Viognier

Mark Dommen of One Market

Khai Duong of Ana Mandara

Dmitry Elperin of The Village Pub

Elizabeth Falkner of Citizen Cake and Orson

Bruce Hill of Bix and Picco

Gerald Hirigoyen of Piperade

Joseph Humphrey of Murray Circle

David Kinch of Manresa

Laurent Manrique, Consultant Chef

Jean-Pierre Moullé of Chez Panisse

Morgan Mueller of Jardinière

Robert Petzold of Bocadillos

Mark Richardson of Seasons

Xavier Salomon of The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay

Liza Shaw of A16

James Syhabout of Commis