Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1061591
T he operators of three of the most acclaimed foodservice con- cepts in the San Francisco area have teamed up for a new food hall in the San Francisco International Airport. The Manufactory Food Hall, located in the International Terminal, will feature the creations of Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson, the husband-and-wife team behind the bakery-cafe con- cept Tartine; Gabriela Cámara, chef-owner of the Mexican restau- rant Cala; and Pim Techamuanvivit, chef-owner of Michelin-starred Thai eatery Kin Khao. (The new venue was still in development as this issue of Specialty Food Magazine went to press, with an opening tentatively set for early January.) In addition to the three foodservice concepts, the 3,200-square- foot space will include a shared cocktail bar and seating area. Each of the restaurants will offer a scaled-down version of the culinary destinations that the restaurateurs are known for. "It will be tight, but it's going to be a good spot to sit and enjoy some of the Bay Area's culinary offerings," said Robertson when interviewed this fall. Tartine, known for its organic baked goods made from freshly milled f lour, will supply the airport outlet with partially prepared items from its commissary in San Francisco, and finish them off on site. Offerings will include hot and cold sandwiches, salads, and an assortment of freshly baked goods, such as tea cakes and muffins. It will also include coffee from Tartine's own newly formed Coffee Manufactory brand. "We are offering a very basic selection of seasonal Tartine clas- sics," said Robertson, who noted that he was excited to bring a high- quality food and beverage offering to an airport setting. "I travel a lot, and I have had really good food in airports, but mostly not in the United States," he said. "I feel like this is some- thing that should be available for people traveling." When interviewed this fall, Robertson said the exact scope of the menu was still in the planning stages, but he and Prueitt were committed to creating an assortment that could be produced quickly and in a small space but did not compromise their principles. "We will do whatever is the most convenient and the freshest and the most delicious for the customer," he said. "We know what works in our locations in the city, but we don't know yet what will work in the airport." Hands-On Control Chris Jordan, chief operating officer of Tartine, said in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle that the restaurant operators were all assured of having hands-on control of their operations. Travel concessionaire SSP America, which introduced Shake Shack to New York's John F. Kennedy Airport, oversees the foodservice at the San Francisco airport. Cámara said her concept in the airport venue would be based on her back-alley taqueria, Tacos Cala. RESTAURATEURS SEEK TO ELEVATE AIRPORT DINING: THE MANUFACTORY FOOD HALL The hall will feature the creations of the chefs behind three of San Francisco's most acclaimed foodservice concepts— Tartine, Cala, and Kin Khao. Left to right: Pim Techamuanvivit, Chris Jordan, Elisabeth Prueitt, Chad Robertson, Gabriela Cámara WINTER 2019 79