Melissa Perello
Octavia & Frances Restaurants | San Francisco, California
Chef Melissa Perello, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, moved to San Francisco following her passion for food. Upon arrival,she worked under the tutelage of Michael Mina at Aqua in the early 90’s. After working with Mina, whom she cites as a major influence, Perello transferred to Aqua’s sister restaurant, Charles Nob Hill, where she worked alongside mentor, Chef Ron Siegel. She quickly rose to executive chef and earned accolades for her California-inspired French cuisine. While at Charles Nob Hill, Perello was awarded the San Francisco Chronicle’s Rising Star Chef honor in 2002, one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs in 2004, and James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef nominations in 2002, 2003, and 2004. Perello then took the helm at Fifth Floor and led the restaurant to a Michelin star in 2006. In 2009 Perello opened her first restaurant, Frances, named after her maternal grandmother. Frances garnered glowing reviews and earned a James Beard Foundation Award nomination for Best New Restaurant in 2010. Additionally, Frances was named an Esquire magazine Best New Restaurant by John Mariani, one of Bon Appétit magazine’s “Ten Best New Restaurants in America” in 2010, and earned a Michelin Star, making Perello one of only a handful of women nationally to earn this achievement. In 2015, Chef Perello’s second San Francisco restaurant, Octavia, opened with critical acclaim including a James Beard Nomination for Perello as Best Chef West, a three star review from the San Francisco Chronicle, and a Michelin star. Both Frances and Octavia continue to garner media attention in the decade beyond their openings, each exceeding lifespan and media benchmarks for comparable restaurants in the region.
Octavia is the second Michelin-starred restaurant from the Frances Restaurant Group, helmed by award-winning Executive Chef Melissa Perello. Octavia serves dinner five nights a week in a sophisticated, elegant and relaxed neighborhood setting. Beautifully defined flavors and seasonally driven cuisine are the cornerstones of Octavia's menu. Leveraging her longstanding relationships with the region’s top purveyors and farms, Chef Perello’s daily evolving selections spotlight her commitment to sustainability and the Bay Area’s wealth of agricultural resources.
