Chef Bruce Hill arrived to San Francisco in 1984 on a motorcycle and has gone on to own and operate some of the Bay Area’s top restaurants, including Fog City, Bix, Zero Zero, and Picco. He is also the inventor of the culinary tool The Chef’s Press. Read on and learn more about Chef Bruce.
- I first knew I wanted to be a chef when: My grandmother took me to Europe when I was 16. I met chef apprentices in Switzerland and decided to become a chef.
- If I weren’t a chef/restaurant owner, I would be: A hardware store owner. I love fixing things.
- My biggest career horror story: Cleaning up a bathroom stall after a tranny hooker threw up in it.
- My first job was: Building furniture.
- My biggest accomplishment so far: Retaining all the amazing staff that works in my restaurant.
- My favorite meal to cook at home: A big steak with lots of veggies and grilled spring onions.
- Best movie I ever saw: Tampopo
- Biggest pet peeve: Food or equipment left on the floor.
- Why I love my job, in three words: Food, people, passion
- I’m secretly terrified of: Staff not showing up for work.
- I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I watch: Top Chef
- Favorite place I’ve traveled to: Japan
- If I could go only go to one place before I die, I would go: Japan (again)
- If I could have dinner with anybody, alive or dead, it would be: David Bowie
- My favorite book is: Jeremiah Tower’s New American Classics
- My favorite part about living in the Bay Area is: The amazing ingredients I get to cook with.
- If I could cook with anybody, dead or alive, I would cook with: Mario Batali
- When I’m not working: I am chillin with my girl, Kim.
- My favorite 2015 memory is: Sushi meal at Saison with Chef Jiro
- My favorite publication to read: Lucky Peach
- My advice to future culinary pros: Work hard, be humble, taste your food, and don’t be afraid to fail.