The Chronicle responded with a pointed statement about the choices made this year:
The 2017 Rising Star Chef class is Reem Assil of Oakland-based Arab food pop-up/farmers’ market stand Reem’s, whose brick-and-mortar bakery is set to open next month; Chris Kiyuna, chef-partner at The Perennial in the mid-Market neighborhood, whose resume includes Front Porch and Coi; Tu David Phu of Vietnamese pop-up Ăn, which he plans to open as a brick-and-mortar next year; Fernay McPherson, the chef behind roving soul food pop-up Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement; and Michelle Minori, the 30-year-old behind the pasta menu at Barzotto, one of a number of “fancier” fast-casual establishments that have taken root in the last few years in SF.
Of course, thriving the careers of many Bay Area chef’s, we’re still waiting for our “leading ladies of Bay Area food.” One day.
