Kitchen Story, Castro District, San Francisco

www.kitchenstorysf.com

4🍅’s

What's your KITCHEN STORY? From a young age I loved being in the kitchen! I started baking banana bread when I was super little and fell in love with cooking and food instantly. Both my parents cooked meals, so I learned a lot from watching them. As an adult I've loved making big meals for my friends and family from holiday dinners, soups and sauces from scratch, and anything I could find on Pinterest. From the ages of 16-28 I worked in the food service industry in various roles before leaving the food & bev industry behind and starting a career in sales.

To say I was miserable was an understatement. So, I don't find it a coincidence that I've landed back in the food and bev world once again! But this time I'm having a heck of a lot more fun and I’m doing it my way! But I don’t have any regrets. Sometimes we need to get out of our comfort zone and try new things (be a career, experience, place) to really see what's possible, and return rejuvenated, motivated, and inspired. This is just a part of my, “kitchen story.”

A few months ago, I was fortunate enough to travel to San Francisco with my mom and her two best friends. We went to an amazing dueling pianos bar, visited Fisherman’s Wharf where we got some amazing Pho for BREAKFAST, traveled to the Big Basin Redwood Forest, toured Golden Gate Park and Palace of Fine Arts, and ate and drank some amazing food and cocktails!! Our first pit stop, straight from the airport was the highly recommended, family owned and operated, Kitchen Story in the Castro District. Kitchen Story’s bloody mary is not like many bloody marys I’ve had before, and is topped with Kitchen Story’s infamous….well you’ll have to keep reading to find out!

When I first sipped Kitchen Story’s Millionaire Mary, I wasn’t sure what to think. Before I could even process the flavors, my mom’s best friend, Lisa, had already drank her entire bloody! The bloody mary has a succulent and sweet flavor, combined with a slightly more than subtle horseradish kick that tickles your tongue. Growing up in kitchens I learned all about the wonders of onions and what they can do to elevate food. The finely minced onions in the mix brightens the sweetness of the tomatoes while the saltiness of the rim balances the hangover concoction perfectly.

The Millionaire’s Mary is named that for a reason and that’s because the bloody mary is topped with Millionaire’s Bacon. Millionaire’s Bacon has been called by Business Insider “San Francisco’s new avocado toast.” If your bacon is getting noticed by BI, you’re doing something right! This incredibly thick, center cut piece of bacon is slow-cooked for hours and covered in sugar and cayenne pepper. The smoky, sweet and savory bacon comes out of the oven and arrives a top your bloody mary drizzling with flavor, and in my case (I don’t eat pork) everyone at my table fighting over who gets to eat it. Owner of Kitchen Story, Hoyul Steven Choi cleverly coined the term when Australian real state mogul, Tim Gurner outraged millennials when he said young people couldn’t afford to buy homes because they spent too much money on expensive toast and overpriced coffee. #MillionairesBacon

 The Millionaire’s Bacon was such a hit with my mom and her friends that we went to Kitchen Story’s sister restaurant, Sweet Maple a few mornings later so they could order the Millionaire’s Bacon again. While at Sweet Maple I gave the michelada a try and it was fabulous. Both restaurants served up amazing food with their Asian and Californian influences and I would recommend the bloody and brunch at either location!

I love how my “kitchen” story continues to grow as I travel and experience new places, bloody marys and cuisines! Working with amazing establishments and people in the food and bev industry has been a dream come true! It’s an honor to share my life, travels, and experiences with you all. So, tell me….WHAT’S YOUR KITCHEN STORY?