Don’t know what the Saucy Awards are? That’s okay; you’re definitely not alone. It’s a brand new event, started by the Golden Gate Restaurant Association and billed as “the Oscars of food,” to honor San Francisco restaurants with their very own awards ceremony.
The first-ever gala took place last night at the Herbst Theater, and much of SF’s hospitality who’s who was on hand to accept, and watch peers accept, awards. Nominations were first open to the public, and then a steering committee (Joyce Goldstein, Patricia Unterman, Joel Riddell, Virginia Miller, Leslie Sbracco, and Marcy Coburn) narrowed down the choices, ending with a vote by GGRA members (except for People’s Choice award and the Lifetime Achievement award).
Liam Mayclem (KCBS’s Foodie Chap and professional British person) emceed the evening and presented the awards, making good use of all possible puns for “saucy” and “wood,” as the awards were hefty blocks of wood. After the awards were presented, the crowd went upstairs to the Herbst Theater’s stately Green Room, featuring a lovely view of SF City Hall and interpretations of iconic SF foods (including shaking beef and crab louie) prepared by Estate Events by Meadowood. Perhaps the coolest detail was the “Saucy” branded orange peel that garnished each negroni.
All in all, it was a very celebratory evening for the Bay Area’s hardworking hospitality industry.
Here’s the full list of winners:
Category: Chefs
Chef of the Year : Ravi Kapur (Liholiho Yacht Club)
Pastry Chef of the Year: Belinda Leong (b.patisserie)
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Melissa Reitz (Bar Agricole)
Category: Service
Restaurateur of the Year: Nicole Krasinski & Stuart Brioza (State Bird & The Progress)
Beverage Professional of the Year: Lulu McAllister Churchill (NOPA & Liholiho Yacht Club)
Employee of the Year: Kory Cogdill (Tacolicious)
Manager of the Year: Justine Flynn (Souvla)
Outstanding Industry Service: Monterey Fish Market
Category: Restaurants
Exceptional Full Service Restaurant of the Year: NOPA
Exceptional Fast Casual Restaurant of the Year: Souvla
Exceptional Non Brick & Mortar Restaurant of the Year: RoliRoti
Category: Programs
Wine Program of the Year: A16 & SPQR (Shelley Lindgren)
Cocktail Program of the Year: Bar Agricole
Beer Program of the Year: Monk’s Kettle
Sustainable Restaurant or Bar of the Year: The Perennial (Anthony Myint & Karen Leibowitz)
Community Spirit of the Year: Tacolicious (Sara Deseran & Joe Hargrave)
GGRA’s Lifetime Achievement Award: Pete Sittnick
People’s Choice Award for Restaurant of the Year: Copita Tequileria y Comida