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8 2 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t The art of sourcing local ingredients is also the secret to the success of restaurants focused on other styles of cuisine in San Francisco. One of the leaders of this trend is Banks White, Executive Chef at The Keystone Social House at The Mosser Hotel, an eclectic restaurant known for its fusion of new American cuisine with spicy Southern-style and global influences. Born and raised in Austin, Texas, White learned to cook at an early age with the help of his grandmother. But it wasn't until he moved to California in 2006 that he understood the importance of working with fresh ingredients on a daily basis. Some of these early lessons were learned when he worked at Chez Panisse, where he watched culinary legend Alice Waters carefully prepare the ingredients for a very simple soup made with ripe seasoned heir- loom tomatoes and dashes of salt and vinegar. "It was the most amazing thing I ever tasted in my life," White recalls, with a twinkle in his eyes. "In Texas, the heavy focus was on meat and seafood. For that reason, produce was more of an afterthought. So when I came to Califor- nia, I realized that freshness was the key to flavors I'd never tasted before." Over the next five years, White polished his cooking skills while working with a long list of culinary stars in Northern California, including Traci Des Jardins at Jardinière and David Humm at Campton Place in San Francisco. He learned how to make French-style sauces with Rolland Passot at the Left Bank Brasseries in Larkspur, mastered the intricacies of pairing food with sparkling wines with Chris Benning at Étoile at Domaine Chandon in Yount- ville and perfected the technique of working directly with farmers under the guidance of Robert Curry at Auberge du Soleil in St. Helena. As his training advanced, in 2009 White was invited to be Executive Chef at Scott Howard's glorious new restaurant, FIVE, at Hotel Shattuck in Berke- ley. Over the next five years, White would achieve an impressive Michelin Bib Gourmand mention for his work at the restaurant. During that same period, he used most of his vacation time to extend his global perspective of cuisine with memorable visits to Thailand, Philippines, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Vietnam. Upon return from each trip, White brought this flavorful combination of Southern cuisine and Asian fusion to life by sourcing fresh ingredients from purveyors he met at the Farmers Market in Berkeley. Local Food, Local Wines Sommelier and Wine Director Tonya Pitts takes these factors to heart when she picks wines for the award- winning wine list at the restaurant. "Imports are fantastic, but when it comes down to providing guests with a true Northern California experi- ence, I take pride in doing something similar to the way it's done in France, Italy and Spain, by matching the local ingredients used in the kitchen with delicious wines from the appellations within just a few hours of our restau- rant," she says. Seasonal sensations at One Market Restaurant: Artichoke soup with garlic flan, hazelnuts and fennel pollen. Ripe & Perky! Forbidden Fruit, a lively One Market cocktail comprised of Hendrick's Gin, fresh lemon, house- made grapefruit shrub and soda. Grilled octopus with sumac, red quinoa, mint and beet molasses at One Market Restaurant. Chef Mark Dommen's local halibut crudo with tomato, tomato water, fresh basil and Arbequina olive oil. Tonya Pitts is Sommelier and Wine Director at One Market. Banks White: The Keystone Social House at The Mosser Hotel The weekly panorama of colors and flavors at Keystone: Summer stone fruit (center); red quinoa & carrot salad (top); and roasted cauliflower (left).