Where does fine dining fit in today’s San Francisco?

It’s time to announce our next panel for Chat Room: Food.

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.

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.