Skenes

Mr. Skenes last month reduced the number of seats to 18 from 42 at Saison, which has been open full time for 18 months in San Francisco's Mission District.

Hot Chefs Aim for the Stars Ben Worthen 2011

Mr. Skenes, who is chief and co-owner, also debuted a 12-course tasting menu priced at $198, and a 16-plus-course menu with a seat in the kitchen for $498, featuring dishes cooked with primitive techniques, such as fire.

Hot Chefs Aim for the Stars Ben Worthen 2011

Now a few young chefs like Mr. Skenes are raising the bar in the city's high-end culinary scene, and hoping to get San Francisco its first-ever three-star restaurant in the process.

Hot Chefs Aim for the Stars Ben Worthen 2011

An article about San Francisco chefs in some Dec. 22 editions incorrectly referred to Mr. Skenes as chief and co-owner.

Corrections & Amplifications 2011

At Saison, reducing the number of meals served each night will allow the restaurant to improve the quality of its food, says Mr. Skenes.

Hot Chefs Aim for the Stars Ben Worthen 2011

Michelin had just awarded Saison two stars in its 2012 guide, and the changes are meant to "up the ante," says Mr. Skenes.

Hot Chefs Aim for the Stars Ben Worthen 2011

Plus, food like spicy pods of wild radishes and sweet fennel flowers tastes good, especially in the hands of Skenes, a veteran of top restaurants who is among several high-profile chefs incorporating wild elements into his menu.

Foodies Forage To Connect With Nature 2010

All of it is an opportunity to learn more about the natural world, Skenes said: "It's about constant exploration."

Foodies Forage To Connect With Nature 2010

Skenes said the greens, roots, flowers and berries that thrive in California's sun and fog-drenched landscape taste sharper and purer than their farmed cousins.

Foodies Forage To Connect With Nature 2010

But Skenes found an audience among San Francisco's affluent, food-mad denizens.

Foodies Forage To Connect With Nature 2010