Matthew Shapiro

Matt Shapiro has been working in kitchens since the age of 15. After moving to San Francisco in 2008 from his native New York City, he quickly discovered the bounty of the California Coast. Living a few blocks from the Pacific Ocean, he soon began fishing on the beach. This foray into fishing evolved into a full-blown obsession that now enables Matt to personally harvest and source the highest quality seafood possible.

As the "Wandering Culinary Soul" for Hog Island Oyster Company, Matt has developed a seafood program for company's three restaurants that is a model of local fishery empowerment and sustainability. Working as both fisherman and chef combined with his unique knowledge of cuisine, local fisheries, shellfish aquaculture, and marine ecosystems are qualities that set him apart in the food world. 

Know Thy Fisherman

We are partnering with James Beard Award winning Chefs Stuart Brioza & Nicole Krasinski of The Progress & State Bird Provisions to present this special addition to our monthly dining series

In this edition of Seafood Stories we will connect you more closely to your local fishing community. Local fishermen will join us at the dinner table to share tales of their life on the sea and what a days work of commercial fishermen in the Bay Area entails. Stuart and Nicole will illustrate the stories of the evening through a five-course menu featuring fresh local bounty caught by our guest fishermen.

Chefs Stuart and Nicole embody the spirit of Seafood Stories with their shared commitment to saving our ocean, one meal at a time, while creating a unique, memorable and delicious experience, and we are all greatly looking forward to sharing this special evening with you.

* Please Note: The event will be held at The Workshop, a private event just up the stairs in The Progress.

Stuart Brioza & Nicole Krasinski

Stuart and Nicole Krasinski are the Chef/Owners of State Bird Provisions and The Progress in San Francisco

Stuart attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park New York, where he graduated with top honors. He then began his cooking career in the 1990s working for Chef John Hogan in Chicago at the acclaimed Savarin restaurant.

Nicole’s pastry and baking skills were first nurtured at the Red Hen Bakery in Chicago under Chef Nancy Carey.

In the spring of 2000, Stuart and Nicole were hired to be the Executive Chef and Pastry Chef at the legendary Tapawingo in Ellsworth, Michigan, a hamlet of a town with a population of 400. It was there that they developed their own unique style of cooking using seasonal and local foods.

In 2003, Stuart was named one of Food & Wine Magazine’s ‘10 Best New Chefs’ of America for his technique and commitment to using the best local ingredients.

In 2004, Stuart and Nicole were recruited by Restaurateur Drew Nieporent and Master Sommelier Larry Stone to take over the kitchen at the famed San Francisco restaurant: Rubicon. In less than a year, their cooking reestablished the decade-old restaurant as one of the top dining destinations in San Francisco, garnering numerous local and international accolades.

On December 31st, 2011, after a few years of travel, exploration, and starting a family, Stuart and Nicole opened the award-wining State Bird Provisions, which has introduced a new way of thinking about dining and service. 

Expanding on those ideas, in December of 2014 Stuart and Nicole opened The Progress to critical acclaim. By following their own style, they are yet again changing perceptions around dining and service. They are driven to consistently provide a unique environment where people can expect interesting food, distinctive wines, and meaningful service. To do this, they remain focused on, support and respect the foundations of their businesses: their staff and purveyors.

They have received the following recognition and accolades: 

• One Michelin Star: 2014, 2015 &; 2016 (State Bird Provisions)
• James Beard Award: Best Chefs West 2015 (State Bird Provisions)
• James Beard Foundation Nominee: Best New Restaurant 2015 (The Progress)
• 7x7 Magazine: Eat+Drink Awards 2013;2014
• San Francisco Business Journal Forty Under 40, Class of 2013
• San Francisco Chronicle: Top 100 Restaurants 2012-15
• Zagat: The 10 Hottest Restaurants in the World (State Bird Provisions)
• San Francisco Magazine’s Best Chefs 2013
• Tasting Table Best Pastry Chefs of 2013
• James Beard Award: Best New Restaurant 2013 (State Bird Provisions)
• Food + Wine Magazine’s Best Chef All-Stars 2013
• Bon Appetit Magazine’s Best New Restaurant of 2012 (State Bird Provisions)

Menu Revolution

In August of 2014 Scoma's Restaurant began working on their sustainable seafood journey. In this edition of Seafood Stories Crystal will walk us through what it's like for a restaurant to undergo this process, the steps it takes, challenges and opportunities that arise, and how sustainability can be good for business and for the ocean. She will give us examples of what to look for on menus and the process she goes through with chefs to help them to revolutionize their menus and seafood sourcing practices. We will hear stories of the process from Chef Gordon Drysdale, Culinary Director of Scoma's, as he also tells their sustainability story on the dinner plate. We will also celebrate Scoma's two year anniversary serving 100% sustainable seafood.

Chef Gordon Drysdale

Gordon Drysdale is a seasoned restaurant pro who has worked in the industry for over 40 years. He started his career early washing dishes to make money to buy musical instruments, while focusing on his education to build a career in the visual arts. Early on he came to the realization that cooking too was an art, and never looked back.

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Gordon is currently a partner in Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley and Culinary Director at Scoma’s Inc., overseeing the growth of the iconic Bay Area brand’s two locations. Scoma’s prides itself on its commitment to the environment and serving 100% sustainable seafood. Scoma’s is partner with Fish Revolution and a Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Business Partner.

Gordon lives in Mill Valley with his wife Susie and two teen-aged sons, Miles and Monroe.

Geoff Reed- Ichido

 With 20 years under his apron, Geoffrey Reed owes much of his culinary awareness to the ocean and mountains that surrounded him as a native of McKinleyville, California. It began early on in his parent’s garden, fishing in the creek behind the house and having full reign to play in the kitchen. Geoff got his first taste of the culinary life at 12, helping with chocolate dipped strawberries and washing dishes on Valentine’s Day at a restaurant where his older brother worked.

Now in San Francisco, Geoff has worked numerous restaurant openings including Pläj with Executive Chef Roberth Sundell, rated among the top 100 restaurants in the Bay Area by SF Chronicle. He founded FishInKitchen, his own workshop classes where he brings people out on fishing trips and teaches how to clean and cook their own catches. Now with Feastly, he hosts his own series of omakase pop-ups which feature his one-of-a-kind recipes from the fresh seafood he catches and local foraged ingredients in the Bay Area.

Tuna, or not to Tuna? 

Continuing the celebration of World Oceans Day (June 8th) we will be exploring the different tuna species of the sea, and those we should eat and the ones we should give a break. We welcome Liz Cunningham, author of Ocean Country, who will share stories of her travels and how the actions of chefs, consumers, fishermen, and other members of the seafood supply chain can help save our oceans and species like Bluefin tuna.  

Stag Dining

Chefs Jordan Grosser and Ted Flurry of Stag Dining will illustrate the stories through a menu featuring the lesser known species of our fast swimming tuna friends. Jordan and Ted have worked together throughout their illustrious careers in the kitchens of some of the world’s most talented chefs and have independently evolved to their own signature approaches. Jordan and Ted’s culinary inspiration and collaborative creative process often draws upon music, wilderness, travel and art. Like many chefs, the desire to learn more and fine tune your craft is an endless pursuit. Stag’s culinary vision is to consistently think outside the box but never losing track of our goal to create harmony in the kitchen utilizing flavors from everywhere.

Chef Michael Mauschbaugh

Chef Michael Mauschbaugh first launched Sous Beurre Kitchen (SBK) in a nearby bare-bones coffee shop kitchen in 2011. The restaurant named for the French translation of "under butter", outgrew its setting in just 18 months, and the new brick and mortar restaurant is Mauschbaugh's dream realized. SBK's mission is to share great food with our community members while celebrating local producers who grow quality ingredients. We buy our produce at farmers’ markets and partner with regional purveyors who supply the seasonal, sustainably raised ingredients for SBK’s approachable cuisine.

Watch Chef Mauschbaugh's video bio