Celebrate Local Fare at Heritage Fire

Saffron, RASA, Amara / Bay Area, CA

Ajay Walia is the founder and CEO behind Saffron, RASA, and Amara, three Bay Area restaurants built on a single ambition: to expand how Indian and Mediterranean dining are experienced on the Peninsula. Ajay opened Saffron in San Carlos in 2003, followed by RASA in Burlingame in 2014, which earned a Michelin star within ten months of opening. His newest restaurant, Amara in Belmont, created alongside Reena Miglani, draws on the spice routes and shared table traditions connecting India and the Mediterranean. Across all three restaurants, the philosophy holds: rooted in heritage but not confined by it, polished without feeling cold, and driven by the belief that food, service, and atmosphere should make people feel genuinely welcome.

Accolades:

• RASA earned Michelin star as California's first Indian Michelin-starred restaurant

Maverick Jack's / Burlingame, CA

Mostly burgers but also drinks & other foods. This is what we do but there is so much more! We care about our community, team & family. We source our ingredients from like minded people. We create a place like home to dine. We offer a welcoming hand when you arrive. We bid a fond farewell as you leave.

Piglet & Co / San Francisco, CA

Chef Chris Yang is best known for his elevated Night Market influenced menus that bridge a variety of Asian cultures and flavors. Originally finding his passion for cooking while living in Hawaii, his dishes exude a unique culinary narrative celebrating his Taiwanese heritage and other culinary experiences.

Accolades:

• SF Magazine Rising Star Chef 2018
• Best New Restaurant in America 2023

Reem's / Oakland, CA

Reem Assil is an award-winning Palestinian-Syrian chef based in Oakland, CA, working at the intersection of food, community, and social justice. She is the founder of nationally-acclaimed Reem’s California, an Arab bakery and restaurant that builds community across cultures and experiences through the warmth of Arab bread and hospitality. Before dedicating herself to a culinary career, Reem spent over a decade as a community and labor organizer building the leadership and amplifying the voices of marginalized communities in their jobs and their neighborhoods. Reem is the author of IACP award-winning cookbook Arabiyya: Recipes from the Life of an Arab in Diaspora (2022).

Accolades:

• James Beard Finalist for Outstanding Chef (2022)
• Back-to-back Semifinalist for Best Chef: West (2018-19)

Macarena / Palo Alto, CA

Toni Santanach

Toni is the founder of Els Pinxus, a celebrated two-location dining concept in Barcelona where he served as both General Manager and Executive Chef, earning national recognition for his contemporary approach to tapas and pintxos. A graduate of the Hofmann School of Hospitality and the institution's Top Graduate of All Time, Toni is known for his technical precision across traditional Spanish cuisine, modern technique, and award-winning pastry. 

Sergio Box

Sergio is a self-taught chef with more than three decades of experience in Spanish hospitality, beginning his career at 15 in his family's restaurant, La Perla de Jávea, which he eventually led as co-owner and head chef, earning a Sol Repsol distinction along the way. Renowned for his mastery of paellas, rice dishes, and grilled seafood, Sergio has collaborated with Michelin-starred chefs, participated in Madrid Fusión, and been featured in publications including Elle and La Vanguardia. 

Restaurant Abacá / San Francisco, CA

Aaron Escalada is the Executive Sous Chef of Restaurant Abacá, where he helps bring the restaurant's mission to life by celebrating Filipino culture through thoughtful, ingredient-driven cuisine. Drawing inspiration from the Philippines' rich culinary traditions and Northern California's exceptional seasonal bounty, Aaron combines technical precision with a passion for bold, vibrant flavors. A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in San Francisco and the California Culinary Academy, Aaron has built his career through some of California's most respected culinary programs.

From 2012 to 2016, he served as Kitchen Manager at The Chairman, helping lead one of the Bay Area's most beloved concepts known for its modern take on Chinese street food. He later worked as Sous Chef at NOMICA under acclaimed Chef Hiro Nagahara from 2016 to 2018, where he refined his skills in precision, discipline, and ingredient-focused cooking. From 2018 to 2020, Aaron was part of the team at Bao Hiroo in Los Angeles' Arts District, specializing in handmade bao with elevated fillings that blended traditional techniques with contemporary flavors.