Meet San Francisco’s Eater Young Guns 2019 Winner

2019 has yielded an exceptional crop of Eater Young Guns winners, bringing 12 of the industry’s most promising talents to the forefront. This group represents the best in what’s happening right now across America, from comfort food in Brooklyn and seafood in Portland to launching one of the most exciting chocolate projects in America in San Francisco.

San Francisco’s honoree, Annie Kamin, 28, is Dandelion Chocolate’s “chief of staff.” Kamin managed the construction of the company’s shiny new chocolate factory, cafe, and salon in the Mission, a massive 28,000-square-foot feat of chocolate-covered ingenuity. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Kamin has worked extensively in the field of chocolate making, working her way up the ranks from assistant cafe manager at Dandelion. Kamin’s job is to make sure that the project succeeds at all points, from production to guest experiences.

Kamin is “an empire builder in the making,” chosen from over 500 nominees. Candidates must be under 30 or have fewer than five years experience in the restaurant world; a network of city editors and past Young Guns narrow down the list. (Last year’s Young Gun was Nite Yun of Nyum Bai.)

Of special note this year: Winners were asked to sign onto a mission statement affirming their commitment to ridding the food and restaurant industry of the discrimination and abuse that has proven endemic. By naming them Young Guns, Eater is tasking this group with modeling a better, more equitable future.

Do check out all 12 Eater Young Guns winners for 2019 here, and congratulations to Annie Kamin.

• All Young Guns stories [E]