A Modern Dining Destination Supporting the Future of Music.

Chef Loretta Keller, known for her work at San Francisco’s Stars, Bizou and Coco500, changed the conversation about food service when she took on the California Academy of Sciences food program in 2008 with Chef Charles Phan. In 2013 she partnered with Clay Reynolds and together they spearheaded the launch of the Exploratorium’s Seaglass Restaurant, which feeds hundreds of families every day. Now they’ve been operating restaurants and food service venues in the city for more than 15 years, are passionate proponents of utilizing high-quality, seasonally appropriate ingredients, and are bringing their experience creating healthy, locally sourced meals to the SFCM community.

Clay began his career in Louisville, Kentucky, learning from some of the region's most talented restaurateurs and chefs all the while developing a passion for food, wine and spirits. He relocated to San Francisco in 2001 and worked at some of the city's iconic dining destinations, including The Cypress Club, LuLu’s and Fleur de Lys. Noticing that the city's chefs were focusing on small production, local and mostly organic ingredients, which offered better and more vibrant flavors than their mass-produced counterparts, he wondered why this same approach was not being adopted in the bar and on the wine list. This idea has become the foundation of things ever since. COCO5OO in 2005, the AcademyCafe and The Moss Room at the California Academy of Sciences in 2009 and Seaglass at the Exploratorium in April of 2013. It is still Clay’s passion and the guiding principle behind the offerings at Uccello.

Growing up between Orange and Mendocino counties in California introduced me to the farm-to-table food cycle. From my father’s sheep ranch to my aunt’s Hollywood catering company, the fundamental concepts of regional cuisine were a part of my life. These experiences led me to pursue my education at the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, New York, in 1997, and then a master’s program at the International Institute for Foreigners at Piedmont, Italy, in 1998. Working as a chef at La Voglia Matta in the Emiglia Romagna region of northern Italy focused my attention on the local seasonal cuisine of the region. This cooking style was further encouraged during my participation in the San Francisco Bay Area’s food scene at a variety of restaurants, including Zuni Café, Quince, Oliveto, Manzanita, Shed, and Ramen Gaijin. I have been gratefully mentored by Paul Bertolli, Michael Tusk, Judy Rodgers & Loretta Keller, who expanded my skill set to encompass the three areas of my craft I most enjoy: The Butcher, The Baker, The Cocktail Maker.