32 | EDIBLE SF FALL 2025 THE GENEROSITY PRINCIPLE How Foreign Cinema thrives by never cutting back Writer—Katie Sweeney Photography—New Revolution Media/Leonard Martin Hughet Gayle Pirie's unwavering commitment to ensure that Foreign Cinema is abundant in its nature has resulted in its endurance. No one turns down an invitation to the Mission District eatery that specializes in dinner and a movie. It's a guaranteed good time—an excellent meal in a lively, bustling, and sophisticated environment. "The abundance was the opportunity to have a restaurant be a canvas for not only your culinary passions but also your interests in life in general," she says. "We've always been able to use all of the tools that we were given in our lives and apply them in a way to make people feel happy, welcome, nourished, and sustained." San Franciscans have been thrilled to dine at Foreign Cinema for 26 years. Pirie credits the eatery's longevity not to luck, but to hard work and evolution. "One must never think that you're there or we've arrived. That is a death sentence to any restaurant," she explains. "The longevity has taught me that you never live in the accolades, or you never live in the review. When you get a good review, you must work harder because the magnifying glass is closer." She treats every day like it's the first day of service and is constantly looking for ways to improve. The menu of inventive, seasonal California-Mediterranean cuisine changes daily, and it's lengthy. It features many distinct items, from hand-rolled cavatelli with mushrooms to heirloom melons with house-cured duck prosciutto to raw oysters and aged wagyu. "We know we've done our job when you can't figure out what to order on the menu, and we do that every day," says Pirie. "We want it to feel very abundant and very rich when you arrive. And we want you to feel excited, like, oh, I can't wait." Over the years, she's weathered many storms. "We've seen a lot," she says, ticking off 9/11, the 2008 dot-com bust, and Covid. "The low times certainly fuel the abundance to be more fully felt and more fully grateful for. So those lean times of being very conservative and head down working, especially during Covid, were very interesting." Pirie has a uniquely positive outlook—she's a glasshalf-full type of person who finds silver linings in hardships. Even through the pandemic, Pirie maintained her abundance philosophy, refusing to compromise on quality and quantity when they reopened. "The menu won't be smaller, we won't run with less staff," she reminisces. "It will be exactly what people would've remembered. And so we stuck to that." Pirie continues to stay true to her ethos, welcoming new and old with sincere generosity and a joyful attitude. She keeps her nose to the grindstone, practicing resilience and being quick-thinking. Hopefully, her efforts will lead to another 26 years of business. Foreign Cinema isn't just a restaurant; it's a canvas for her to create memorable experiences. "The abundance has magnified over the years. It feels like your hard work pays off. To be rewarded by a restaurant that continues to charm and endear guests is a dream fantasy." Pirie's abundant nature is on display with Le Grand Aioli, a gorgeous and celebratory dish from The Foreign Cinema cookbook. It's easily adaptable—use whatever fish and vegetables you love and that are local and in season. In autumn, Pirie recommends roasted or grilled chanterelles and roasted chicories. Serve with warm bread, dressed salad greens, and a bottle of Chablis, Sancerre, Muscadet, rosé, or light-bodied, refreshing reds like Beaujolais. “One must never think that you're there or we've arrived. That is a death sentence to any restaurant.” ON GATHERING 2 1
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