Chef Melissa Perello

Melissa Perello is an accomplished chef and restaurateur, leading the acclaimed San Francisco restaurants Octavia and Frances. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Perello initiated her culinary journey in San Francisco, gaining formative experience under Michael Mina at Aqua in the early 1990s, an influence she frequently acknowledges. She further refined her craft at Charles Nob Hill, collaborating with her mentor, Chef Ron Siegel.

Perello's ascent to executive chef at Charles Nob Hill was swift, where her inspired California cuisine garnered significant recognition. Her tenure there included receiving the San Francisco Chronicle's Rising Star Chef award in 2002, being named one of Food & Wine's Best New Chefs in 2004, and earning multiple James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef nominations (2002, 2003, 2004). This period of early success culminated in her leadership at Fifth Floor, where she guided the restaurant to a Michelin star in 2006.

In 2009, Perello launched Frances, her inaugural solo venture in San Francisco. The restaurant quickly achieved widespread acclaim, earning recognition as one of Esquire's Best New Restaurants by John Mariani and one of Bon Appétit's "Ten Best New Restaurants in America" in 2010. Frances was also honored with a highly coveted Michelin Star. Continuing her trajectory of success, Chef Perello opened Octavia, her second San Francisco establishment, in 2015. Octavia immediately garnered critical praise, including a three-star review from the San Francisco Chronicle, a Michelin star, and a James Beard Nomination for Perello as Best Chef West, solidifying her status as a leading figure in contemporary American cuisine.