Some quick chef updates: after a year and a half of running the show at ~SAISON~, co-owner and chef Laurent Gras announced in an Instagram post that he was moving back to New York “to be closer to my wife, family and friends.” (But first, he’s enjoying some time in the sun in Baja California.) No word on what Joshua Skenes has in mind next for Saison, whether he will be bringing in a new chef, or returning to the kitchen, but he does mention “a new experience at Saison in 2020.”
Chef Jason Fox, most recently of Commonwealth, has joined San Francisco Proper Hotel as executive chef, leading the restaurant Villon, rooftop Charmaine’s, and La Bande. Look for a unified theme of progressive California cuisine on the menus—the new bar menu at Charmaine’s features snacks and street food found around the world, while Villon will highlight his elevated cuisine style, like shrimp agnolotti with a roasted chicken dashi; Dungeness crab with Green Goddess dressing, kohlrabi, and cured egg yolk; and his potato gnocchi with mushroom and kale. The all-day restaurant will also feature breakfast, lunch, and brunch items, like overnight oats, malted barley pancakes, and a vegetarian Cuban sandwich. 45 McAllister St. at Market.
Chefs Laurent Gras and Joshua Skenes. Instagram photo via @jskenes.
