Making food – or at least making great food – is an art. When you go to a world-class dining establishment, what you get on your plate is an expression of the chef’s own ideas and inspirations. Like a painter who delivers in brush strokes or a sculptor in curves of clay, a chef uses his (or her) tools and ingredient to create something extraordinary.
This is more evident than usual in Atelier Crenn, a playfully innovative San Francisco restaurant that has gained a following as French chef Dominique Crenn’s canvas. It’s the first time a woman has ever achieved two Michelin stars in America and after a feature in Netflix hit documentary series Chef’s Table, Atelier Crenn has made its way into many a foodie’s must-try lists.
An ever-evolving tasting menu, whimsical presentation and impeccable service all come together to create a one-of-a-kind dining experience for every visitor. San Francisco may enjoy its lion’s share of top-notch restaurants, but Crenn finds a niche that’s all her own in a sea of establishments.
The Restaurant
Atelier Crenn sits along Fillmore Street in the popular Cow Hollow district of San Francisco, California. With the city’s young professional set nearby, the neighborhood buzzes with activity at all hours in the restaurants, galleries and other hangouts that line the streets.
Here, Atelier Crenn creates a serene spot. Step inside the restaurant and instantly feel at home in the tastefully decorated space. Simultaneously modern and homey, Dominique Crenn’s flagship restaurant features muted hues, warm lighting and select art pieces on the wall. The atmosphere is quite intimate with only eight black walnut tables in the restaurant. Because of the limited accommodation – there are two seating turns every evening – reservation is crucial. If you have plans to visit, make sure you reach out in advance.
One of the strengths of Atelier Crenn is its team, from the host to the servers to the kitchen staff. Each one, unfailingly professional, knowledgeable and pleasant, helps make the dining experience a superb one.
The Food
Atelier Crenn features an avant-garde selection that’s fresh and unique, so make sure you’re ready for new flavors if you’re planning to visit this San Francisco hotspot. French cuisine has a significant influence, of course – Chef Crenn hails from Versailles – but so do other types of cuisines that strike her fancy or creative juices. Her trips around the world soaking in different cultures and tastes can result in sprinkles of Asian flavor or Mayan-inspired desserts, making the restaurant an unexpected hit among adventurous diners.
Crenn offers a multi-course tasting menu, which means the food that is served every night is predetermined. Guests can’t pick what is included in their meal, but the nature of tasting menus also ensures that everything on your plate is carefully conceptualized, sourced and prepared by the chef and her team.
There are a few exceptions – dietary requirements, for example, are considered given a few days’ notice – but generally, diners are subject to the chef’s seasonal whims and vision. Fortunately, Chef Crenn is the kind of chef that we would happily entrust with this type of blind faith. Among many notable achievements, she has long perfected the balance between flavor and fancy.
It’s not just the cooking style that’s incredibly original, but also the presentation. The multi-course menu is presented with a poem, each dish or course corresponding to a particular line. Penned by the chef herself, the poems are often nature-inspired, expressing the story behind the food on your plate. With this, Atelier Crenn creates an unforgettable experience that goes beyond the dining table.
Book a Flight with Jettly
Atelier Crenn is one restaurant worth flying for and now you can make the entire trip extra special by taking a private jet charter via Jettly. Travel to San Francisco or anywhere in the world without long waiting times at the airport or sky-high commission fees. Submit a flight request with Jettly now.
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