Chat Room: Food
Our Chat Room event series continues on June 12 with a subject very dear to our stomachs: food.
Join Gazetteer SF for conversations on the Bay Area's incredible bounty of deliciousness with local food and beverage industry leaders. We'll also be gathering the Bay Area's top pop-ups to hawk their tasty offerings.
Marcia Gagliardi, founder and editor of San Francisco's must-read dining newsletter tablehopper, will serve as MC for the evening.
Our five chats are listed below.
Chef’s Roundtable: Surviving hype cycles and cooking in the spotlight
Gazetteer SF food columnist Omar Mamoon will chop it up with four of San Francisco’s most influential chefs to talk about longevity, evolution, and staying creative in a constantly changing industry.
The panelists are four award-winning chefs who made their names around the same time as new kids on the block and have into their roles as seasoned mentors:
- Stuart Brioza, the James Beard and Michelin star-winning chef behind State Bird Provisions, the Progress, and the Anchovy Bar.
- Brandon Jew, the James Beard and Michelin star-winning chef and owner of Mister Jiu's, Mamahuhu, and Moongate Lounge.
- Ravi Kapur, chef/owner of Good Good Culture Club and Liholiho Yacht Club, who has been lauded by the San Francisco Chronicle, Food & Wine magazine, and the James Beard Foundation.
- Melissa Perello, Michelin star-winning chef and owner of Octavia and Frances.
The Ritual of Baking
This discussion will center around daily routines, discipline, joy, and why the ritual of baking matters, especially in a post-pandemic world where comfort and connection are so important.
Moderated by Nichole Accettola, chef-owner of Scandinavian-inspired eatery Kantine and author of Scandinavian from Scratch, this will be a philosophical look at the art and craft of baking.
Joining Nichole will be Azikiwee "Z" Anderson, founder and owner of Rize Up Bakery which is famed for its bright purple ube sourdough loaf, and Casey Wentworth, head of bread at San Francisco’s iconic Tartine Manufactory.
The Joy of Pizza
The world's most perfect food gets the panel it deserves, with Eric Ehler from Outta Sight Pizza, Craig Stoll from Pizzeria Delfina, and Alexis Rorabaugh from Rose Pizzeria.
We’re excited to hear some saucy insights — and maybe a few crusty comments — from these big cheeses of the Bay Area's pizza scene, in a chat moderated by Gazetteer CEO Byron Perry.
Where does fine dining fit in today's San Francisco?
The Bay Area is one of the country’s best restaurant regions, and its legacy is marked by chefs who pioneered American fine dining like Thomas Keller, Dominique Crenn, Corey Lee, and others. But in the aftermath of a pandemic industry crash and with rents and fees still sky-high, chefs in San Francisco are facing existential struggles.
How are they working to innovate and move SF’s legacy of haute cuisine forward? And what will “fine dining” even mean in a future that seems full of economic and social instability?
Gazetteer SF city reporter Eddie Kim speaks with Ryan Shelton, chef/owner of Merchant Roots and Mike Lanham, chef of Anomaly, to find out.
Four pastry chefs sit down with food writer Rachel Levin to discuss the popularity of pop-ups as the path to creative autonomy — and maybe even profitability — in a food town where both lately have been in short supply. Our panelists are Blair Cardigan of Good Luck Bakery, Sandy Kim from Plus One, Francesca Soo from Fear the Feast, and Ximena Williams of Florecita Panaderia.
And these wonderful local pop-ups will be selling food:
- My Friend Fernando: Chicano-inspired dining experience that blurs the boundaries of heritage and seasonality
- Good Luck Bakery: modern flavors combined with classic pastries featuring whole grains and organic produce
- Plus One: a pastry pop-up with a soft spot for American nostalgia with Asian influence, brought to life by French patisserie
Chat Room: Food
June 12, 2025
Swedish American Hall
2174 Market St.
Doors: 5:30 p.m.
Show: 6 p.m.
Entry includes free flow beer and wine from 5:30-8:30 p.m. This event is 21+.
All Chat Room events are free for Gazetteer SF subscribers but space is limited. Subscribers may write to lc@gazetteer.co to receive your free ticket code. Non-subscribers may purchase tickets here for $20 + fees.