We Need More Chefs Like Richie Nakano, Not Less

That was my first thought when I heard the news that Chef Richie Nakano was fired and would no longer be a part of Hapa Ramen, as reported by Inside Scoop.  Hapa Ramen is Richie, it is his brainchild, his blood and guts have gone in to creating an amazing brand and ultimately, a beautiful, brick-and-mortar restaurant.  His journey had been one that many chefs have had to go through - seemingly more downs than ups, but Richie has constantly maintained his focus and never let his beliefs in what he was doing be compromised.  It’s what made Hapa Ramen so real for so many people.

I remember the first time I had a Hapa bowl.  It was at a pop-up at what is now St. Vincent (I believe it was called Heart Bar back then).  That bowl of ramen was a revelation for me.  There was a complexity to it that I hadn’t quite seen in other bowls of ramen. It had me intrigued.  Could we get away from the thought that ramen was some cheap food that poor college kids eat, that comes in packs of 6 for $1, that have just one plain, bland flavor?  I knew it could be the start of something...

I followed the progression of Hapa Ramen through each incarnation, from pop-up to Ferry Building, to Fillmore Street and the Kickstarter campaign, back to pop-up and finally the Mission.  I got a chance to get to know Richie and he never lost faith in what he was doing.  His passion never wavered and in fact, his ideas kept growing.  As more and more ramen shops opened in the Bay Area, serving just okay bowls, Richie pushed the envelope, with different ingredients, different broths, and a whole different attitude to how ramen should be - bold, unique flavors and fresh, locally-sourced ingredients.  Even with many saying ramen is dead in this country, I have hope for its future when I see what Richie is doing and the folks at Ramen Shop in Oakland.

I stopped by his brick-and-mortar probably 3-4 times.  I wanted to see how those plastic-lid bowls at the Ferry Building translated to an actual restaurant and what the rest of his menu might look like.  The evolution of his ramen was breathtaking!  And it was just beginning.  When reading the Chronicle review about the ramen, I let out a loud laugh.  The consistency of Hapa Ramen was only getting better and better.  The noodles, the broth, the ingredients, the imagination.  Richie is doing it the right way.  He is taking us out of that $8-10 bowl of ramen that we are so used to, that oversalted bowl of tonkotsu broth, the baseless toppings that lack no imagination, and giving it a place nearer a fine dining experience.  Why should ramen be any different than any other cuisine?  Richie got that, understood that, and tried to take it further, which was greatly appreciated by many who love great food.

Merry Christmas from the Hapa kitchen crew. This is absolutely one of the best brigades I've ever worked with. Feeling lucky.

A photo posted by Richie Nakano (@linecook) on Dec 24, 2014 at 1:07am PST

I won’t get into the firing or the business side of things because I don’t know the whole story.  The only thing I will say is that for any investor to give a business four months to turn a profit is ludicrous, particularly a restaurant.  That’s the exact time period where a chef is just starting to figure everything out, from staffing, to food, to cutting costs here and there, what is working and what isn’t.  If you’re already worried about profits and cost-cutting, why bother investing in the business?  Menu changes are anticipated, but drastic changes after several positive reviews just seems ludicrous.  To cheapen a product, to try to dumb down the food - that means you’re trying to hoodwink customers and with the way the food world works in the Bay Area, that would never, ever work.  I give Richie credit for maintaining his values and wanting to put out the best product he could, finding the best ingredients and having faith that that is what people want - because judging from the reaction, it really is what people wanted, a great dining experience and great bowl of ramen.

But I'm not going to be a part of something that dilutes five years of hard work, sacrifice and passion to make a quick buck
— Richie Nakano (@linecook) March 28, 2015

As for Richie’s Twitter persona, that’s who he is folks.  Love it or hate it, he is opinionated and doesn’t tweet the same boring, PR-driven BS that you might see from other restaurants.  And that’s what people loved about him and Hapa Ramen - Richie was 100% real, from start to finish.  We need more chefs that hold to their beliefs, that fight for their creativity, that don’t put the same items on their menu each season to impress one or two “important” people.  Yes, sometimes Richie was crass or outwardly rude, but how would you react if someone is anonymously trying to piss on your business, your dream, what you love to do?  Chef you have the support of many in the food community including me and we all can’t wait to see what’s next!

Bayview Pop-Up Market Breathes Life Into Neighborhood

Food has become an integral part of the Bayview Hunters Point neighborhood in San Francisco.  Numerous new businesses are offering different dining options, and also, a gathering place within the community.  And while there is still a lack of fresh produce, or even a grocery store, the neighborhood’s residents have taken the matter into their own hands, by starting up a Bayview Pop-Up Market.

Andrea Baker and Earl Shaddix have been at the forefront, not only helping to organize the market, but also extolling the virtues of Bayview Hunters Point.  “While under contract with the Mayor's Office of Economic & Workforce Development (OEWD), I tried to attract a farmers market to the Bayview - unsuccessfully. The organizations I approached felt that the Bayview was 'not ready' for those services.  I was fortunate to meet Earl, a Bayview resident stakeholder and tireless promoter of the Bayview and its gems. Earl had recently become one of the first permitted CFOs (Cottage Food Operations) in the City. Over a late dinner one night we commiserated - seeing the new CFO permit as a mechanism to create entrepreneurial and economic development opportunity for Bayview residents,” Baker said. “The Bayview Underground Community Pop Up Market was envisioned as a distribution point for the new and existing entrepreneurs in the Bayview.  I met with the Department of Public Health to learn how best to streamline the process and reduce the cost of permitting; OEWD agreed to pay for permits; and we were off!”

The market started with just a few vendors from the neighborhood, but like many community events, word quickly spread and more and more people have become involved.  Local residents who have businesses are getting in the act, as do many looking to start up businesses of their own.  Baker said it’s not just about the food.  “I think the most important element of the Pop Up Market has been the 'pride of ownership' from the community. This has really become the Bayview's Pop Up Market - many of our patrons are discovering some of these gems for the first time; and better yet are finding their own ways to support these businesses,” she said.  “Vendors get called for catering jobs, festivals and other vending opportunities.”

There are plenty of things to do for kids, hands-on activities and a chance to talk to vendors about their products.  Baker said there is also still plenty of room to grow.  “Our goal is to end up at the newly renovated Bayview Opera House and/or Mendell Plaza (located in Town Center of the Bayview) and to have added a produce farmers market to the Pop Up, that takes place on a Saturday morning in the Bayview,” she said.  “We also hope to create more pop up and catering opportunities for our vendors.  We want more exposure and opportunities for our Bayview businesses.”  

Baker said she knows there is plenty more to do in the neighborhood, from filling vacant storefronts to attracting more foot traffic to the Third Street Corridor.  She said there is also still a need to fill the Fresh and Easy space with a competitive grocery store.  But perhaps most important - to continue to get the word out about the good of Bayview Hunters Point, the positives coming out of the neighborhood, and the up-and-coming vendors and businesses that are leading a path to growth.  My next article in this series on San Francisco’s Bayview Hunters Point neighborhood features the inspirational story of a restaurant run by youth in the community.

Winemaker Produces Out Of Her Bayview Garage

Wine was a fun hobby for Barbara Gratta, something she enjoyed, but never took too seriously.  But it soon became a passion in her life, and is  now a business, GrattaWines, all out of the garage of her home in San Francisco's Bayview Hunters Point neighborhood.

Talk to Gratta and you can tell she takes her craft seriously, but not too seriously.  “I would never claim to be an expert on wine, but my knowledge is constantly growing.  I try to make things simple.  I think a lot of people are intimidated by wine because it can all be very complex,” Gratta said.  “I want to make the best wine I can, but also, make it something that is comfortable for everyone to enjoy.”

Photo Credit: Barbara Gratta

Not only simple, but affordable as well.  Gratta sees her business as an opportunity to teach people about wine, where she can help explain how to pair wine with food, give them a few basic tips, and introduce them to something they may not be familiar with.  Gratta’s garage is like her own personal wine lab, with barrels, a temperature-controlled room, even a forklift.  She produces about two tons of wine a year, the equivalent of 100 cases.  She currently produces four varietals: a Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Cabernet and Sangiovese, along with a handful of blends.  The grapes Gratta uses are grown at Teldeschi Vineyards in Dry Creek Valley, an operation that focuses on sustainability, and a vineyard introduced to her by a friend. 

Photo Credit: Barbara Gratta

Making wine out of her garage has inherent challenges, from controlling the climate to storage and space.  For example, the climate issue makes it difficult to produce white wines.  But her goal is to keep the winemaking process an uncomplicated one, to allow the grapes to do their part, and let the natural process take over.  Even with her "simplistic" approach, Gratta's wines have been a huge hit, including winning awards at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition in her native New York. 

Gratta currently produces wine that she sells through her website, along with a handful of markets, bars and restaurants in San Francisco (Rainbow Grocery, The Hotel Rex, El Rio).  She also sells her wine at the Bayview Pop-Up Market and is hoping to expand soon in the neighborhood.  “I’ve been working with another vendor (Xan DeVoss of Fox and Lion Bread Company) on the idea of opening up a wine shop on Third Street.  There are some loopholes to work through in getting an alcohol permit for a space on Third, but I think it would be great to be part of this movement going on in Bayview Hunters Point,” Gratta said. 

Gratta said she sees the changes every day in her neighborhood, with new people moving in.  Gone are the days where she would hardly see her neighbors – in fact, when I visited her home to see the wine production firsthand, a number of adults and kids walked past the open garage door to say hi.  “I think quite a few of the residents who have lived here for awhile were concerned or are concerned about gentrification, about being forced out of the neighborhood.  But I think unlike areas like the Mission or Dogpatch, people who move to BVHP are coming in with a positive attitude, they want to be part of this community, and contribute in a positive way.  With more people moving here, we're also getting more visitors and there are finally places to go in the neighborhood," she said.  “There are so many positive things going on here, and food is an important part of that.  Food really gets people out of the house and back out into the community.”

Like many others, Gratta is hoping a grocery store is on its way, but she sees positives in the way BVHP has embraced the Bayview Pop-Up Market, and growing support from business owners and San Francisco Supervisor Malia Cohen.  Coming up in my next piece on Bayview Hunters Point, a closer look at the Bayview Pop-Up Market, with one of the driving forces behind the weekly event.          

All Good Pizza, Where Food And Community Meet

Kristin Houk has been in the food business for as long as she can remember, and has always wanted to one day open her own place, in her own neighborhood.  All Good Pizza has given Houk and her husband Matt that very opportunity in Bayview Hunters Point in San Francisco.

“I’ve lived in this community for 12 years and there has always been limited access to healthy food here.  We had a grocery store for awhile [with Fresh & Easy], but that only lasted a year or two,” Houk.  “I originally wanted to park a food truck in a different empty lot in the area, but we settled on this location.  After tons of clean-up, I think we’ve given the community a space where they can gather and feel safe.”

Houk has taken a hyper-local approach with All Good Pizza.  Flora Grubb Gardens is right across the street, and a lot of the plants used in the clean-up process came directly from them.  Ingredients for the pizzas and other dishes are all local - not just local to San Francisco or the Bay Area, but local to Bayview Hunters Point.  The sausage and meats come from Evergood Fine Foods, a business that has resided in BVHP for decades.  Produce comes from Veritable Vegetable and bread from Crepe and Brioche.  “We really wanted to highlight the talents of some of the smaller businesses in this community,” Houk said.

Across the street sits a Kentucky Fried Chicken and Taco Bell.  There’s a Pizza Hut in the neighborhood.  But as Houk notes, there were no places serving really good pizza in the Bayview.  The pizza is "fresh and simple,” something she learned while spending time in Italy.  The thin crust, Neapolitan-style pizzas come with different toppings, depending on the season.  Other offerings include a kale salad, which Houk said is one of the most popular dishes, and several varieties of panini.  Houk has told customers that if they don’t like something, they don’t have to pay for it.  In two years, she has never had to return a customer’s money.  “There was some skepticism to some of the menu items and what we were serving.  I think it was people being unfamiliar with an ingredient, not knowing how something might taste,” she said.  “But we’ve been welcomed.  People from all sectors congregate here.  We’ve hosted a lot of community events.  We really have a deep belief in our food and the products we are using.”  

Houk sees changes coming for the neighborhood.  She said she welcomes new restaurants, because it provides different options and gets more people out in the community.  “People in the community are excited for new options, places where they can dine out.  And we really want to keep the money within the community - rather than going to another part of town, we want to be able to go out to dinner in Bayview Hunters Point.  This is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in San Francisco, but the lack of diversity in dining options really hurts.  We need more choices.”  In terms of a longview for BVHP, Houk said she thinks the current housing crisis will soon make its way to Bayview Hunters Point, and is concerned about gentrification, and longtime residents being forced out. 

“Bayview is really an amazing community.  The weather here is better than any other part of the city.  This neighborhood also includes the highest percentage of home ownership, where some families have lived from generation to generation,” Houk said.  She said while bringing in other businesses is an integral part of building BVHP, the one “pinnacle piece” is a grocery store, which would finally allow fresh produce options to be close-at-hand.

All Good Pizza is located at 1605 Jerrold Avenue.

On Wednesday, a look at a winemaker, who produces bottles and bottles of vino out of her Bayview garage.      

Family Spurs Yvonne’s Southern Sweets In Bayview Hunters Point

Yvonne Hines is a San Francisco native, more specifically, her family grew up in Bayview Hunters Point.  Family gatherings were often spent together in the kitchen, where her great grandmother would cook and everyone else would pitch in, creating a feast for friends and family.  That love of cooking was part of the reason she opened a store, in her very own neighborhood, in 2006.

Hines’ family moved to Bayview Hunters Point from Texas in the 1940’s.  Her great grandparents lived on Paul Avenue.  Their house would be a gathering spot for friends, family and the neighborhood, and that meant Hines would spend a great deal of time in the kitchen, helping out.  “When I settled into the Bayview, I wanted to open a restaurant.  I saw a real need for good soul food, not only here, but in the entire city,” she said.  “But I also wanted to own my own space.  So after making my pralines for friends and family, everyone told me I should open a shop of my own.”

Working with city officials (along with her own hard work and entrepreneurship), Hines started selling her treats at festivals and events around the city, renting space at a commercial kitchen in the San Francisco Naval Shipyard.  After a few years, and working with the city and Bayview Merchants’ Association, she finally had a store of her own in October 2006.  “I actually had some concerns.  There were a lot of vacant storefronts at that time, on 3rd Street itself, a lot of spaces were neglected,” she said.  “But despite what some will call a black eye, I knew the neighborhood really had a lot of good.”

Hines continues to work with the city to make her own improvements to Yvonne’s Southern Sweets.  She was part of SF Shines, a program aimed at improving commercial corridors through facade improvements.  She now has a sign for her space, an improved decor inside, and as she said, a “real presence” on her block.  “The city is investing back to improve storefronts.  This let’s people know that yes, I am open, that they can stop in, that there is a real business here.  It also allowed me to make the necessary changes to get up to code, all as a worry-free process,” said Hines.  “I owe the city a lot.”  The next step for Hines is to add an oven in her shop.  Right now, she has just a tiny toaster oven to make due, transporting all her items from the commercial kitchen to her store.

Since opening, there has been mostly positive developments for Hines.  But she also knows the situation could be better.  “A big draw was the [SF Muni] T Third Street Line.  There was a lot of hope that this would help businesses on that [3rd Street] corridor, help bring more people to the neighborhood.  But when you really look at it, people don’t get off the T Line.  They don’t stop and walk around to the different businesses in the area,” Hines said.  “It is hard to attract business, even with the Muni line.  As a whole, we all need to look at this question - how do we better promote the Bayview?  It’s still hard for businesses to just rely on people walking in.  You’ll get your regulars, but I’m hopeful we can really make this neighborhood a destination.”  

Hines is doing a lot of that promotion on her own.  She often signs up to sell her food at festivals and events around the city, gets catering gigs, and is a weekly participant in the Bayview Pop-Up Market.  When people ask her where her store is, she always makes sure to promote the Bayview, singing the virtues of the neighborhood.  “But that stigma still exists.  A lot of events in San Francisco slight BVHP, whether its food trucks, a farmer’s market,” she said.  “When the America’s Cup was in town, no one ever mentioned the Bayview, or asked businesses here to participate in events.  I’m grateful for everything the city has done to help with my business, but I also hope they can better promote the Bayview.”

Despite some of these difficulties, Hines continues to always have a cheery, refreshing attitude whenever a customer walks into her store.  Although she is probably best known for her pralines, her butter cookies are also a huge hit (and please don’t sleep on her delicious pecan pie!).  She works with local organizations, employing interns throughout the year, helping teach them life skills and provide work experience for them.  “I’m really happy with the way things have gone for my business.  I get a lot of great feedback from people - they really identify with the food and in many cases, reminisce back to their own childhood,” Hines said.  “That’s why I love doing all these events and meeting new people.  It’s not only great to help promote my business and this neighborhood, but I just love to see people’s faces, their reactions.  That makes me happy.”  

Yvonne’s Sweet Treats is located at 5128 3rd Street.  You can also find Yvonne at events throughout the city (follow her on Twitter and Facebook to find out if she’s coming to an area near you).

Tomorrow, a look at All Good Pizza, which in many ways, is the epitome of how Bayview food businesses are trying to build the community.

Food Plays Central Role In San Francisco’s Ever-Changing Bayview Hunters Point

San Francisco's Bayview Hunters Point neighborhood has long been characterized in the news media as an area with a high crime rate, that is poverty-stricken, even by some as dangerous.  Overcoming those inherent barriers can be difficult for any neighborhood - oftentimes, with each positive piece of news, there are two negative stories that grab the headlines.  The constant cycle of bad news tends to weigh on residents, no matter how positive of an outlook they have.  So the question looms - how do you change the narrative?

Part of the solution is taking place right now in the neighborhood.  BVHP is an interesting case.  Just 5-10 years ago, residents would rarely venture out of their homes, neighbors didn’t know each other, there were really no food options and no gathering places within the community.  The area has always been one of the most culturally diverse in San Francisco, with many families staying in the neighborhood for decades, from generation to generation.  But that can often make it more challenging, to break the chain of thinking, to push away from the negativity that lingers.   

Volunteers at Quesada Gardens Initiative

But slowly, changes are afoot, and much of it starts with residents themselves.  Sometimes it may seem like they are fighting against all odds, but there has to be a unity, a desire to build the community from within, to accentuate the positives and change the opinion of outsiders.  The process does not happen overnight; it takes time and a lot of faith.  But eventually, residents become unafraid to open businesses, they join together with their neighbors, walls are torn down and bridges are built.  In Bayview Hunters Point, the Third Street corridor is slowly emerging and becoming a focal point of activity.  Gone are some of the empty storefronts, with locally-owned businesses taking their place.  Affordable housing is being built, withered areas are being cleaned up - it is a case of the residents taking back BVHP and owning it.  Now, that’s not to say that Third Street is perfect.  There are still a gaggle of boarded-up businesses, far too many liquor stores where “unsavory” characters congregate, blight, crime - but there are makings of an energetic hub, where the community can gather and enjoy the fruits of what they have been building.  There is a certain sense of pride that emanates from Bayview; people are proud to live there, proud to be a part of the community, what is being built.  There is a true and unbridled passion to make Bayview Hunters Point a destination, and not the “black mark” that some believe it is in San Francisco.  

Food....Restaurants...Markets - that is slowly becoming the driving force behind the renaissance in Bayview Hunters Point.  Food can be such a driving force in a community - the social interactions and communal nature of dining out are part of the fabric of life.  Not only is it a positive for businesses, but it helps bring life to a locale.  While Bayview Hunters Point has not yet developed as a “dining destination,” there are some encouraging developments.  Restaurants like Radio Africa Kitchen and Limon Rotisserie have opened spots on Third Street; the quality of food at both are not only great for BVHP residents, but for those looking for a great dining experience from other parts of town.  The Bayview Merchants’ Association works with local entrepreneurs, whether it is to secure grants, develop a website and online presence (via Twitter, Facebook, or other modes of social media), or answer any other qualms potential business owners may have.  Supervisor Malia Cohen, whose district includes Bayview Hunters Point, makes her presence known at community meetings and events, and continues to fight for equal footing with San Francisco’s other districts.  BRITE (Bayview Residents Improving Their Environment), a non-profit group, has a strong voice in bringing about change and looking out for the betterment of BVHP.  But first and foremost, residents, many who have lived in the area for years, now want to start their businesses here, want their neighbors to come in for food or drinks, want to be a part of this movement.  They know the difficulties and that there will be some bumps in the road, but want to succeed because they want “their home” to succeed.

A look down Third Street, outside Radio Africa Kitchen

Over the next week, we will profile some of these food businesses, sharing their difficulties and successes, what these owners think needs to be changed and how they are working to make Bayview Hunters Point “a destination” in San Francisco, and not just an afterthought.  These are business owners trying to not only change a neighborhood, but change perceptions, attitudes and the longstanding stream of consciousness that persists.  Tomorrow, the story of Yvonne Hines, who still yearns to open a restaurant in her neighborhood, but is happy to sell her delicious southern treats out of her shop on Third Street.

Cooking with Koji – A Time-Honored Japanese Tradition

The process of fermentation can be a frustrating endeavor, something that demands a lot of time and patience.  In the Japanese culinary world, one of the main ingredients, and a staple in many essential products, is koji, a culture that is the basis for much of the fermentation in Japanese cooking.

Koji comes in various forms, from rice to barley, and is an integral part of some of the most common items in Japanese cooking – miso, sake, and shoyu (soy sauce) just to name a few.  The process has been around for hundreds of years, but is really starting to pick up steam, not only in Japan , but also here in the Bay Area.

“Making koji is a natural life process.  And for me, it is like caring for a baby,” said Mariko Grady, founder of San Francisco-based Aedan Fermented.  “2-3 days and you’re done.  But during that short time, it’s a very thorough process.”  Grady was living in Japan and usually bought her fresh koji from the local markets. But following the devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2011, she began to spend more time in the kitchen, selling products to help with fundraising efforts.  Many of her colleagues and friends were so impressed, they suggested it could be a new career – and hence the start of Aedan Fermented.

Photo Credit: Aedan Fermented

Now, Grady has partnered with La Cocina, an organization that helps low income food entrepreneurs, using the commercial kitchen space to make her products, from fresh rice koji to different versions of miso, even a sake kit.  “Koji is full of enzymes and provides a healthy option.  The fermented food product line is meant to help people who cook at home, giving them a quick and easy option, which is not just healthy, but also provides a great deal of umami,” Grady said. 

Along with selling and producing her products, Grady offers classes and workshops, for adults and children alike, something she said she would like to expand on this year.  “Just getting the word out about koji, how simple it is to use, whether it’s marinating a dish or something as basic as miso soup,” she said.  Eventually, Grady said along with selling her products, she would like to own a small space where she can hold events, classes and demonstrations, offering a more hands-on approach to koji.

Along with Aedan Fermented, many San Francisco restaurants now feature koji on their menu - from places like Bar Tartine to Nombe.  But the first spot to really use it in earnest was Izakaya Yuzuki in the Mission District.  Since opening, Owner Yuko Hayashi and Chef Takashi Saito have provided guests with a unique Japanese dining experience.  This is not your normal izakaya-style restaurant;  the menu is finely crafted around seasonal ingredients, with items such as miso and tofu made in-house daily.  Chef Saito said he’s proud to use koji in his restaurant.  “Koji is a seasoning that is indispensable to the daily life of almost everyone living in Japan, but it is not really that well-known.  In reality, the basis of the Japanese food culture is koji,” he said.  “Japanese food is all about beauty and taste, while also being gentle and friendly to the body.”

Kara-age Chicken, marinated w/ salt koji

Both Hayashi and Saito grew up in Japan and at Izakaya Yuzuki, they wanted to bring a traditional experience to the Bay Area.  “Growing up in the country, rather than a big city, vegetables and rice were made daily at home.  We would get our water from the mountain behind our house.  Fish came from the nearby river and dairy from the cattle in the neighborhood,” Saito said.  “There was a Buddhist temple next door and during services, my grandmother would prepare meals, and we would all help.  At that time, I never thought I would have a job as a chef, but it was such a valuable experience for me, learning about these different dishes.  Those memories and tastes remain with me to this day.”

At Izakaya Yuzuki, there are normally a handful of dishes prepared with koji on the menu, from the Kara-age Chicken to the Yaki Surume Ika (“Salt Koji” marinated Hokkaido squid with yuzu mayonnaise). Chef Saito said creating dishes from his childhood memories, while also producing food that is nutritious and healthy for guests.      

At both Izakaya Yuzuki and Aedan Fermented, a generations-old Japanese technique is being accentuated in the Bay Area cooking scene, one that provides a healthy and tasty option in both restaurants and home kitchens.  Expect the use of koji to grow steadily in the coming years.