ediblesf.com | 27 Writer—Adrian Spinelli Photography—Carter Hiyama/Crenn Dining Group San Francisco’s most celebrated kitchens and bars are discovering that true success means opening their doors to each other Dining out in San Francisco right now is a thrilling proposition. As the city grapples with the notion that it's been slow to recover from the supposed post-pandemic "doom loop" effect, the access to nationally renowned, list-topping, Michelin-rated, James Beard-winning, and downright fantastic restaurants and bars has never been better. Yet, at a time when one could reasonably expect bars and restaurants to have their heads down in their own spaces, furiously trying to meet margins in this vastly competitive and abundant environment of over 3,000 food establishments, they're hosting more one-night-only collaboration events than ever. But why would the restaurant that topped the SF Chronicle's list of Top 100 bars feel the need to ever cook outside of their own kitchen? Why are some of the busiest hospitality groups in town bringing chefs and bartenders from out of town into their space for one-night-only events? It's not just about sharing social media marketing exposure. In fact, the motivation behind these endeavors paints a picture of exactly why San Francisco's dining scene is nothing short of world-class. "Our team learns every day on the job, but after a while that learning curve starts to flatten," says Flour + Water co-executive chef and VP Ryan Pollnow, who admits that while he and co-chef/CEO Thomas McNaughton have played their share of "away games" as guest chefs in other kitchens, this was the first time they'd ever brought in another restaurant into Flour + Water's intimate cooking space. "To bring in a guest chef for a night, all of a sudden the week leading up to it and the week following, everyone's passion for food is ignited and we're all learning from that chef," Pollnow says, citing the importance of a fresh perspective. "This cross-pollination of ideas really helps spark future inspiration for both of our teams." For one of its three West Coast Summer Series collaborations, Flour + Water welcomed co-owners Louis Lin (Chef) and Jolyn Chen (GM) of Portland's standout Xiao Ye and the resulting presentations were sparkling: A khao soi sorprese married Xiao Ye's penchant for Asian flavors with Thai yellow curry and chicken nestled within F&W's carefully pinched pasta; very clearly a joint production. While Xiao Ye's signature masa + mochiko mini madeleines were presented ahead of F&W's noted ricotta of the day with seasonal Early Girl tomatoes and spicy taggiasca XO, a loosening of the grip of sorts by the hosts to showcase touches of what makes its guests shine and an exponential payoff for the evening's lucky diners. TABLES 1
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTcxMjMwNg==