Scenes from SF Chefs 2013, Part I

Would you believe this is a cake? Yes, made by the Ahwahnee Hotel.

Would you believe this is a cake? Yes, made by the Ahwahnee Hotel.

 

It’s hard to believe that SF Chefs, that deletable extravaganza that celebrates the Bay Area’s singular food scene, is five years old already.

Last Friday was the official start of the weekend-long affair, when the mega tasting tent on Union Square in San Francisco opened with a dramatic cake-cutting with chefs Tyler Florence of Wayfare Tavern and Dominique Crenn of Atelier Crenn joining Mayor Ed Lee in the honors.

Enjoy some scenes from the first day:

Inside the tent, just before the festivities were to get underway.

Inside the tent, just before the festivities were to get underway.

 

Take one guess as to which chef this food station belonged to.

Take one guess as to which chef this food station belonged to.

 

 

Of course, it could only be Chris Cosentino of Incanto in San Francisco.

Of course, it could only be Chris Cosentino of Incanto in San Francisco.

 

Cosentino's special assistant that night: Sang Yoon, chef-owner of Father's Office in Los Angeles and competitor on this year's "Top Chef Masters.''

Cosentino’s special assistant that night: Sang Yoon, chef-owner of Father’s Office in Los Angeles and competitor on this year’s “Top Chef Masters.”

 

More pig -- whole hog terrine with pork fat mayo -- from Spruce in San Francisco.

More pig — whole hog terrine with pork fat mayo — from Spruce in San Francisco.

Another entry in the cake contest -- this one by Pastry Chef Francis Ang of the Fifth Floor in San Francisco.

Another entry in the cake contest — this one by Pastry Chef Francis Ang of the Fifth Floor in San Francisco.

The cake by Pastry Chef Laura Cronin of Perbacco in San Francisco.

The cake by Pastry Chef Laura Cronin of Perbacco in San Francisco.

 

 

Day boat scallop with kaffir lime on black sesame crackers -- by the new chef of Betelnut, Mario Tolentino.

Day boat scallop with kaffir lime on black sesame crackers — by the new chef of Betelnut, Mario Tolentino.

Newlyweds Samantha Stock, former sous chef at Quattro in the Four Seasons in East Palo Alto, and Peter Armellino, chef of the Plumed Horse in Saratoga.

Newlyweds Samantha Stock, former sous chef at Quattro in the Four Seasons in East Palo Alto, and Peter Armellino, chef of the Plumed Horse in Saratoga.

 

Their mini "cannoli'' of caviar and creme fraiche.

Their mini “cannoli” of caviar and creme fraiche.

Crab cakes from One Market in San Francisco.

Crab cakes from One Market in San Francisco.

 

Chef Mark Dommen of One Market in San Francisco.

Chef Mark Dommen of One Market in San Francisco.

 

Absinthe's roasted white chocolate cremeux with raspberry, fennel compote and cocoa nibs.

Absinthe’s roasted white chocolate cremeux with raspberry, fennel compote and cocoa nibs.

 

 

Etoile of Yountville presented yellow fin tuna with plum, globe basil and lime.

Etoile of Yountville presented yellow fin tuna with plum, globe basil and lime.

 

Chef Jeff Banker of Baker and Banker in San Francisco.

Chef Jeff Banker of Baker and Banker in San Francisco.

 

Pastry Chef Jessica Entzel of Morimoto Napa puts the finishing touches on her unique dessert display.

Pastry Chef Jessica Entzel of Morimoto Napa puts the finishing touches on her unique dessert display.

 

 

It's a tree branch decorated with miso cookies, carrot-ginger cupcakes and plum wine gummies. Now, that's my kind of greenery.

It’s a tree branch decorated with miso cookies, carrot-ginger cupcakes and plum wine gummies. Now, that’s my kind of greenery.

 

 

Caneles and chocolate-chip madeleines from La Boulange.

Caneles and chocolate-chip madeleines from La Boulange.

 

 Wednesday: More Scenes from SF Chefs, Part 2

Print This Post



8 comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *