There’s a cadre of local young chefs who will be the new brigade, stepping up to take the places of people like Craig Stoll, Daniel Patterson, and Stuart Brioza. Richie Nakano calls them out in a great post on Line Cook, but he may have left out an important part of this city’s culinary future. He notes Charlie Kleinman, Ryan Farr, Brandon Jew, Thomas McNaughton, Chad Newton, Ian Begg, Justin Simoneaux, James Syhabout, Ron Pei, Luis Villavilazquez, Anthony Myint, and Josh Skenes as the next generation of local stars. They’ve all come up under the tutelage of the current “illuminati,” with strong focus on quality ingredients, sustainability, and creativity, and they really are great. Most importantly, Nakano points out the perspective they share: “It’s an interesting dynamic; cooks that have seen the cost of selling out, television, and cooking for awards and not for guests.” Still, they’re not the only ones bringing a unique point of view to the future of Bay Area dining.
As wonderful as our crop of home-grown up-and-comers is, there’s an equally great and important wave of culinary immigrants — folks who got their training elsewhere and are bringing that influence to the city. Two that have recently come from Los Angeles include New York native Matthew Accarrino, who now heads the kitchen at SPQR, and Midwesterner Michael Magliano, who will soon run Bluestem. Plus you’ve got pizza proteges Anthony Mangieri and Keith Freilich bringing their legendary New York pies, and French natives Etienne and Remy Ducroix opening Restaurant Ducroix soon. Chefs come to San Francisco because of its fantastic ingredients and food culture, and we should welcome (and beckon) them as much as we cultivate our own. Fresh perspectives are as crucial as local tradition. Still, Nakano is right. We’re on the cusp of one of the most delicious eras in San Francisco to date.
The end of the culinary world as you know it. [Line Cook]
