Chef
James Syhabout

San Francisco

About James Syhabout

James Syhabout is the chef/co-owner of Commis and Old Kan Beer & Co. He is the the only chef in Oakland with a Michelin-star restaurant — first learned about food, taught by his mom in the language of refugees, in a culture of kin related by circumstance. His food relies on quiet gestures: the subtle juiciness of chervil stems in a pork dish, or the gilded scent of caramelized onion in a savory financier cookie.

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My Venues

Accolades

One Star (Commis)
Michelin Guide
Nominee for Best Chef: West
James Beard Foundation

10 Best New Restaurants (Commis)
GQ Magazine
Four Stars (Commis)
San Francisco magazine
Best New Chefs
Food & Wine
ChefsFeed Winner
One of the Best Things to Eat in SF

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Featured Content

Watch

2:54

Chefsfeed Summer Cookout

December 10, 2015

Remember summer? We do…and we threw this beach party back in the throes of the season to bring together the ChefsFeed chef community and celebrate it.

Chef Kim Alter's Favorite Kao Mun Gai at Hawker Fare | The Usual

Watch

4:11

Chef Kim Alter's Favorite Kao Mun Gai at Hawker Fare | The Usual

September 9, 2015

Chef Kim Alter of Plum restaurant in Oakland visits chef James Syhabout's restaurant Hawker Fare to order the kao mun gai, a comforting Thai chicken and rice dish that James puts his spin on using a few modern techniques. In The Usual, the country's best chefs reveal the one dish that blows their mind again and again, then head behind-the-scenes to meet the creators.

Where I Go Out

Garlic cheese steak

Cheese Steak Shop

$, Sandwiches, American, Lower Pacific Heights

"This is just a really good, simple cheesesteak done well. The bread is soft and moist but crispy on the outside. I like to get it with sweet and spicy peppers."

Chef

James Syhabout

Commis, Old Kan Beer & Co.

Pupusas

Lupitas Pupuseria

$$, Latin American, Patten

"I've never been disappointed by the pupusas on Foothill Boulevard. You can watch them make your pupusa right in front of you, patting it by hand and cooking it on the griddle; you can't get fresher than this! I like to get both the chicharrón and cheese ones, and I top them with cabbage, carrots, and jalapeños."

Chef

James Syhabout

Commis, Old Kan Beer & Co.

Anything on the menu

Vik’s Chaat Corner

$, Indian, Southwest Berkeley

"When it comes to Indian food, you usually sit down at a restaurant and get your curry and naan bread. However, at Vik's Chaat Corner, it's all based on street food, so most of it comes in snack form, such as different types of flatbreads, samosas, and condiments (I especially like their cholle, or spicy garbanzo bean curry). It's a fun and different way of eating Indian food."

Chef

James Syhabout

Commis, Old Kan Beer & Co.

Double skin

Great China

$$, Chinese, Downtown Berkeley

"I've never seen anything served like this before. The whole thing is very light and structurally appealing to eat. It's such a different, non-stereotypical dish to see at a Chinese restaurant, although it has strong nuances of Chinese cuisine. It comes with calamari, shrimp, sea cucumber, and pork, as well as all the garnishes around the plate. From the translucent mung bean noodles to the raw vegetables, it's very refreshing. It's tossed tableside with soy sauce and hot mustard."

Chef

James Syhabout

Commis, Old Kan Beer & Co.

Commis Reserve Caviar and champagne

CDP

$$$, Cocktail Bar, Full Bar, Modern, Cocktail, Piedmont Avenue

"Late night snack at the bar in CDP @commisrestaurant with some Commis Reserve Caviar by @therealtsarnicoulai and @krugchampagne #commis #caviarandchampagne #krug #someonehastodoit"

Chef

James Syhabout

Commis, Old Kan Beer & Co.

Navarro vineyards Pinot Noir grape juice, Hennessy Cognac and lemon

CDP

$$$, Cocktail Bar, Full Bar, Modern, Cocktail, Piedmont Avenue

"My favorite drink at CDP. It's called Rapper's Delight but I also call it Purple Drank. It's Navarro vineyards Pinot Noir grape juice, Hennessy Cognac and lemon. It's bangin'. 🍇🥃#gimmethatpurplestuff #cocktails #cdp #commis #purpledrink #oakland #oaklandbars #keepitrealandsimple"

Chef

James Syhabout

Commis, Old Kan Beer & Co.

At My Venues

Tasting menu

Commis

$$$$, Reservations, Modern, New American, Piedmont Avenue

"It's my go-to splurge right now. Commis is small and intimate, and the food is always delicious."

$$$$, Reservations, Modern, New American, Piedmont Avenue

"I've gone a handful of times and the food is always executed perfectly and the service is flawless."

$$$$, Reservations, Modern, New American, Piedmont Avenue

"I can't say I have a favorite dish because the fixed menu changes all the time, but James uses all the same produce that we do at Camino in such a different way that it has been really eye-opening and inspiring."