Chey from the Bay
Food journalist; covers dining culture and restaurant industry conversations with a reporter’s lens.
Restaurants Now Thrive on Systems, Not Just Cuisine
Hot take: the most interesting restaurants right now aren’t just focused on food. They’re building systems. Farms. Programs. experiences. This week’s issue breaks that down with an interview with Little Saint Executive Chef Deborah Mullin.
Cool‑climate Pinot Noir & Chardonnay Tailored for Japanese Cuisine
Have you ever had wine made specifically for Japanese food—at a Michelin-starred Japanese steakhouse? Xander Soren + winemaker Shalini Sekhar built their project around cool-climate Pinot Noir designed for sushi, sashimi, and kaiseki-style dishes—high acid & restrained. Now they’re introducing Chardonnay in...
Evolving an Iconic Vietnamese Institution Beats Starting Fresh
Crustacean has been shaping Vietnamese dining in San Francisco for 50+ years—and now it’s evolving. I sat down with Monique An to talk about what it actually takes to lead a legacy restaurant right now. What’s harder—building something new, or evolving something...