Amy has been in San Francisco for 10 years and the Director of Operations for the past 3 years at TDJ Restaurants. The group is owned and run by megastar chef and restaurateur Traci des Jardins, who Amy counts as her mentor and guru. Currently, Amy oversees the 6 "units" in the TDJ Restaurant Group: Jardinière (the flagship, open for 20 years), Mijita (taqueria in the Ferry Building), the Presidio “empire”, which is made up of  The Commissary, Arguello, and Transit Cafe (grab-and-go quick service cafe and full catering department.) and lastly, Public House at AT&T Ball Park.

On Amy’s ideal morning off:

To start, sleeping until at least 10am! I’ve never been a huge breakfast person - I think that’s a common theme among restaurant people. Making myself a coffee at home on my Nespresso is the best. If I do venture out to get a morning bite, it would be to 20th Century Cafe where I would get a latte and their fabulous open-faced salmon bagel.

On what we need to know about the Presidio:

People don’t realize we have a National Park at our fingertips. I feel like traffic has quadrupled the last few years in the city, which is beyond stressful, but you can get to the Presidio, this insanely beautiful setting, in under 30 minutes and can breathe a sigh of relief.

Not to mention, the Presidio has wonderful amenities and numerous dining options. At The Commissary you can enjoy an upscale dining experience and at Arguello, there’s a full patio and a firepit with a view. We even have make-your-own cocktail kits at the Transit Cafe or you can buy a bottle of wine and sit on the Main Post lawn and look out over the Golden Gate Bridge.

On her favorite local staples:

For dinner, anytime I have a day off, I always love to go to Rintaro. It’s a staple. The sashimi, yakitori and the gyoza are all to die for. I seriously may have once ordered 3 rounds of gyoza for 2 of us! (There was also a decent amount of sake being consumed.)  Rintaro never disappoints.

A place where I’ve never once had a bad dish is Heirloom Cafe. The owner, Matt Strauss, used to work at Jardinière; it’s great to see someone who had the dream of owning their own restaurant make that come true and be successful. Their off-the-menu burger is a must-order.

On her drink spots:

For a drink, I always love going to Cala. I am a tequila drinker and I like a good classic margarita. Anything made with Ocho Blanco.  I just discovered Charmaine’s, the rooftop bar at San Francisco Proper Hotel. I had a great cocktail and the ambiance makes you feel like you are in New York or Chicago. Twin Peaks Bar in Noe Valley and The Page on Divisadero would be my go-to low brow spots. In that case, my order is a beer and a shot.  

On her go-to lunch order:

I'm obsessed with the fried chicken sandwich at RT Rotisserie - that’s just part of my normal diet. It’s on my way to my office. I get a lot of Nopalito take out - the Chicharonne quesadillas will get you through anything.

On footwear:

For shoes, my new obsession brand is called Rothys - it’s a San Francisco-based company. The shoes are made out of recycled water bottles, but they look really nice. They make a great pointed or rounded toe flat in amazing colors. I can do a 13-hour day and be happy as a clam. For someone who is going from restaurant to restaurant, they are the perfect thing to get me through my day. And they’re machine washable!

On her predictable, but honest, favorite app:

I use OpenTable all the time for my personal uses and for reservations for people. I often have investors or VIP’s of Chef Traci’s needing a last minute reservation and this app helps me tremendously when on the go.

On her latest fancy meal:

Most recently, my celebratory-I-don’t-care-how-much-this-dinner-costs dinner was at Acquarello. I think its been open longer than Jardinière. It was delightful from the minute we walked in. Practically every staff member is in a suit, their silver is beyond beautiful, and the dining room feels like a tucked away gem. It was truly one of the best dining experiences i’ve had in San Francisco.

On celebration:

Honestly, as a self plug, Jardinière has the best caviar service in San Francisco. Anytime I’m celebrating, I sit at the bar and order champagne and caviar with a friend, it’s heavenly.

(Opening Photo Credit: Kassie Borreson)