Best of Northside Food & Wine 2008
Best restaurant staff of 2008
By Bill Knutson


As the staff of Northside San Francisco got together to discuss our favorites for the best of 2008, we were trading names of restaurants and chefs back and forth like they were baseball players during the draft. And while I appreciate the hard work and vision that got them all to where they are right now, I also think it is important to thank and recognize the people who day in and day out help the chefs and restaurateurs fulfill their vision – their staff.

Each member of the staff from the host/hostess to the dishwasher fills an important role in keeping the restaurant running smoothly. So, on behalf of the staff of Northside S.F., I want to personally thank all of the hosts, hostesses, head waiters, servers, table bussers, dishwashers, prep cooks, line cooks, sous chefs, chefs de cuisine and others who have worked so hard over the last year to provide us with such memorable meals. It is you who have made San Francisco a premier food destination. Because we couldn’t list you all, we picked one staff to represent all of you.

So, accepting the award for best restaurant staff is the staff of Luella.
I have been eating at Luella since they first opened and have always found the staff warm, friendly and professional. On a recent visit, I realized how little the staff had changed since it first opened and how reassuring it is to have the same friendly faces greeting me and preparing my food. But it is also a testament to how well the staff works together and how well they get along.

Luella has a semi-open kitchen, which makes it very easy to observe the staff and appreciate how they work in unison to keep a seamless flow of food from the cooks to the wait staff. But to complete the cycle, the smooth flow continues with the attentive, yet not intruding, table bussers who clear your plates and fill your glasses. That leads to the dishwashers who keep the kitchen clutter-free and make sure the cooks continually have clean pans and plates. All this is happening to make the chef look good and our food presentable and delicious.

So, the next time you dine in one of our wonderful Northside restaurants, thank a table busser or a dishwasher for the meal you just had.

Luella: 896 Hyde Street (at Green), 415-674-4343, www.luellasf.com

–B. Knutson