Melissa Perello

The Path

Melissa Perello began in a kitchen-based job at a local country club, an early lesson in the cadence and demands of professional service. An apprenticeship at Aqua followed, then work as chef under Michael Mina at Aqua in San Francisco, where speed, exactness, and coordination were part of the daily grammar of the kitchen. Those stages established the structure behind her technique and her working sense of how sourcing, service, and flavor have to align. At Charles Nob Hill in San Francisco, Melissa Perello moved from chef to executive chef, a shift that marked expanding responsibility as well as a broader view of the restaurant floor. She later worked as chef at Fifth Floor in San Francisco until 2006, continuing to shape a style that keeps refinement and generosity in the same frame. Her path later included M. Georgina in Row DTLA, where she was owner and chef in 2019–2019, another step in a career built through movement, adaptation, and accumulated authority. Today, Melissa is owner and chef of Frances since 2009 and owner and chef of Octavia since 2015, two restaurants that reflect a consistent approach: composed food that still feels welcoming.

The Work Today

Since 2009, Perello has been chef owner of Frances in San Francisco. The restaurant’s identity sits in her ability to make flavor feel exact and immediately legible. Food & Wine identified her crisp and smoky bacon beignets with chive-spiked crème fraîche as a dish she is known for at Frances, and the description tracks closely with her cooking: layered, bright, and tightly controlled. It is a direct example of the polished, big-flavored style associated with her name. “For both restaurants, I wanted to create a refined experience in a comfortable, neighborhood setting, while also maintaining approachable pricing.” That goal explains the balance Frances and Octavia are known for. The dining rooms are meant to stay grounded, and the food follows that same logic: careful, but not distant. “I believe in working closely with our chefs and staff at both Frances and Octavia.” The line points to a hands-on management style, one built around regular contact and the daily exchange of standards in the kitchen. It also links back to the route that brought her there, from apprentice to chef, from executive chef to owner, with each stage adding another layer of control over the work.

Signature

Melissa's signature dishes include crisp and smoky bacon beignets with chive-spiked crème fraîche. The dish shows the main registers of her cooking: texture, richness, and a clean finish that keeps the plate balanced.

In Their Words “For both restaurants, I wanted to create a refined experience in a comfortable, neighborhood setting, while also maintaining approachable pricing.” “Ron taught me how to create relationships with purveyors and make ingredients shine.”

Acclaim

Melissa's honors include James Beard Semifinalist for Best Chef West, James Beard Foundation Award nomination for Best New Restaurant, Michelin star, James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef nomination (2002), Food & Wine Best New Chef (2004), and San Francisco Chronicle Rising Star Chef (2002).