Big news came over the wires this week, with the announcement that chef Ron Siegel is coming to ~MICHAEL MINA~ as executive chef. Siegel is leaving the Ritz-Carlton San Francisco (Parallel 37) after eight years at the property and should be in the Mina kitchen in a few weeks.
I had a chat with Michael Mina, who is tremendously excited to be working with Siegel again—Mina first hired Siegel in 1991 as a line cook at AQUA. Yeah, that’s some history. Siegel is one of the city’s most talented chefs, with a background that includes Masa’s of San Francisco, Charles Nob Hill (where he was named a best new chef by Food & Wine magazine), and, of course, being the first-ever American chef to win the Japanese “Iron Chef” competition.
Siegel and Mina have always maintained a good friendship, and when the most recent chef de cuisine at Michael Mina, Michael Davis, wanted to leave the restaurant and head back east, Mina reached out to Siegel. He said Siegel was excited, saying it would be his dream job and how much he’d love to return to where he started. The two chefs are already writing menus together, of which Mina said: “It’s so easy—and fun! It’s great because we already know each other so well. We have a great history of collaboration.” Guests should expect new and exciting creations developed by both chefs independently, as well as many dishes that they will come up with together. Both chefs share a strong affinity to Japanese cuisine—stylistically they are already quite simpatico.
Mina added: “It will be nice for the staff to have Ron on board. He builds a great family in his restaurants. I told him: ‘Expectations are high, brother!’ But this is exactly the kind of stage he needs to be on.” I know I am not alone in my excitement to see what these two powerhouses put together in that beautiful restaurant. Buckle up.
Chef Ron Siegel. (Photo originally provided by Ritz-Carlton San Francisco.)
