Sea bass with achiote marinade, forbidden black rice, charred sweet corn, wilted spinach and Toy Box cherry tomatoes chimichurri.
When I was working in Macau and was placed in charge of Chinese banquets, which has such a deep history and prestige behind it, I stayed humble and was able to work successfully with the team and culture to grow and innovate. I’m applying the same methods here in the Bay Area, which already has a fantastic food scene.
General manager Nicholas McDermott highlighted your people-first leadership. What’s your fundamental philosophy for leading and inspiring a culinary team in a demanding luxury environment? My core success as a culinary leader is rooted in people development, recognizing that a demanding luxury environment requires an inspired and invested team, not merely a compliant one. Fostering a culture of psychological safety, where mistakes are treated as training opportunities, eliminates the fear that stifles people from learning and asking questions. Ensuring the team feels respected and developed results in the natural outcome of high morale and pride in their work.
How do you maintain a Michelin-level standard of cuisine in fine dining (like The Lounge) while simultaneously executing high-volume, quality-driven banquets across 24,000 square feet of event space? Managing banquets right alongside intimate fine dining is never about juggling two different standards— it’s about having one impeccable standard, built entirely on the strength of our people.
I see every fluctuation in volume, from high-pressure dinners to large events, as an opportunity to sharpen our skills and expose the team to new rhythms. When the banquet chef spends time refining sauces, and the fine-dining cook masters volume efficiency in the event space, everyone grows. It’s this shared passion that’s critical and needs to translate to every level to be successful—from the kitchen team and stewarding team to suppliers and farmers. I love working with people who have passion.
The gorgeous and historic exterior of The Ritz-Carlton San Francisco
And when you work with great people, you can translate that passion into consistent luxury at different levels. You can’t execute a huge event successfully with one grand gesture; you succeed because a thousand tiny steps were taken. By getting many small things right, we can deliver the highest quality, regardless of the scale.
The Bay Area’s culinary scene is focused on local sourcing and ingredients. Beyond the breakfast experience at Parallel 37, what are some specific ways you plan to showcase and integrate the local harvest into the hotel’s various menus? The Bay Area’s culinary identity is built on deep relationships with Northern California’s extraordinary bounty, and it’s amazing to work with such great products. The best way to highlight these pristine ingredients is through storytelling, either via our servers sharing the stories about the people or the philosophy behind them, or in our club lounge, where we can present the bounty Northern California has to offer.
Tuna tartare is on the menu in The Lounge.
Best piece of culinary advice you’ve ever received? Stay humble, keep learning.
What’s your signature comfort food? Braised meats
Most underrated Bay Area ingredient? Half Moon Bay wasabi
Last dish you cooked for fun? Spaghetti aglio e olio
One word to describe San Francisco cuisine? Multicultural