Morrison Returns After Serving as Executive Sous Chef on Ame’s Opening Team in 2005 Debuts Exciting Holiday Tasting Menus
Lissa Doumani and Hiro Sone, co-owners of Ame, are pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Morrison to the position of executive chef. The restaurant – which has been awarded a coveted Michelin star for seven consecutive years – represents the husband-and-wife team’s first venture in San Francisco following the success of Terra Restaurant in St. Helena in the heart of Napa Valley wine country. Ame is operated and managed under the direction of Sone, who oversees the culinary operations, and Doumani, who is responsible for the overall direction and tone of the restaurant as well as overseeing the pastry team.
Morrison began his tenure with Ame as executive sous chef, helping launch the restaurant alongside Chef Sone in November 2005. A veteran of the Bay Area culinary scene for 13 years, he has cooked at the original Michael Mina in the Westin St. Francis and Bizou. Morrison left Ame in 2007 to lead Loretta Keller’s group of restaurants – The Moss Room and Coco 500 – as executive chef. He is excited to reunite with Hiro and Ame’s seasonal New American cuisine.
“We are thrilled to welcome Chef Morrison back to the Ame family as executive chef,” said Doumani. “His extensive expertise, passion and familiarity with the restaurant’s vision and operations will make this an easy and exciting transition. We are enthusiastic to have such a knowledgeable and talented chef at the helm of our kitchen, and we anxiously await the inventive dishes and bespoke offerings he will offer the guests and local patrons of Ame and The St. Regis San Francisco.”
Since rejoining the team as executive chef this fall, Morrison has collaborated with Chef Sone on innovative new tasting menus for the holiday season. With his commitment to fresh, local ingredients and sustainable proteins at the forefront, Morrison has developed compelling gastronomic experiences within these multi-course menus. Starring in the “Taste of The Seven Seas” Christmas menu, a take on the traditional Italian “Feast of Seven Fishes” Christmas dinner, is a Sautéed Fluke Fillet on Wilted Bloomsdale Spinach with Bonito Tonnato Sauce and Pickled Beach Mushrooms. In his New Year’s Eve menu, Chef Morrison will offer an elegant twist on surf and turf in two sequential tastings. Fricasse of Maine Lobster with Speck, Napa Cabbage, and Fines Herbes is followed by Grilled New York Strip and Crispy Sweetbreads, Chanterelles, Soubise and Red Wine Sauce. As the seasons change, Morrison will continue to showcase his masterful skills through whimsical culinary creations.
“I’m honored to reunite with Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani, two brilliant culinary minds whose combined passion is palpable in the kitchen and throughout the restaurant day-in and day-out,” said Chef Morrison. “We will be challenging ourselves to deliver dishes and dining experiences that exceed our guests’ expectations, while delivering flavors that are authentically familiar to our guests.”
Morrison is an avid hunter and fisherman and can be seen fly fishing in the surf at local beaches and foraging the coast. He currently resides in San Francisco with his wife and daughter and delights in preparing Sunday suppers for his family.
Renowned for its elegance, ambiance, sophisticated cuisine and unique offerings, Ame offers a relaxed yet elegant dining experience. Guests are welcomed to the intimate, L-shaped dining room by rich mesquite wood floors and striking surroundings. The interior of the restaurant includes a custom-designed raw bar ideal for enjoying a bite while watching the chefs at work, a stunning red wall and the restaurant’s signature “red table,” a five-foot square table that seats eight. Ame Restaurant is located at 689 Mission Street at the corner of Third and Mission streets, within The St. Regis, San Francisco. Contact Ame by phone at 415.284.4040 or visit www.amerestaurant.com.
About The St. Regis San Francisco
The St. Regis San Francisco opened in November 2005, introducing a new dimension of luxury and timeless elegance to the city of San Francisco. The 40-story landmark building, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, includes 100 private residences rising 19 floors above the 260-room St. Regis Hotel. From legendary butler service, “anticipatory” guest care and impeccable staff training to the signature Remède Spa, luxurious amenities and interior design by Yabu Pushelberg of Toronto, The St. Regis San Francisco delivers an unmatched guest experience. The St. Regis San Francisco is located at 125 Third Street. Telephone: 415.284.4000. Website: www.stregissanfrancisco.com.
