Sample Food From AQ, Sons & Daughters, and Bar Tartine at Tonight's StarChefs Gala

StarChefs.com, the national online trade magazine, is circling through S.F. again tonight for the first time since 2010 with one of their "Rising Stars" galas. They've been covering the food industry since 1995, and every year they pick a few major cities and bestow honors on all the best and brightest therein, including sommeliers, pastry chefs, restaurateurs, and savory chefs. Tonight's party is at AT&T Park, and it will include bites from all the honored chefs, including Sons & Daughters chef de cuisine Duncan Holmes, Outerlands' Brett Cooper, Bar Tartine's Nick Balla, Evan and Sarah Rich of Rich Table, and Jacob Des Voignes of Local's Corner and Local Mission Eatery. See the full list of honorees here, and there are still tickets available, though they're kind of pricey at $95 for general admission and $150 for VIP.

The main event kicks off at 6:30 with an awards ceremony, after which everyone will get drunk at the gala, and even drunker at the industry-only after-party at Central Kitchen and Trick Dog. (Trick Dog guys Josh Harris and Scott Baird are also honorees in the mixologist category, along with Absinthe barman Matt Conway). And the fun will be led by StarChefs' gregarious CEO, Antoinette Bruno (pictured), who has spent the last decade and a half crisscrossing the country and eating at every great restaurant. Nice work if you can get it...

[Photo: Courtesy of StarChefs]

· 2013 San Francisco Bay Area Rising Stars [StarChefs]