Yesterday, former Alta CA sous chef David Goody stepped in to replace former head chef Yoni Levy. Levy, who has been leading the helm at Daniel Patterson's restaurant since it opened at 1420 Market St. in December 2013, left to take on his own consulting projects, according to Inside Scoop.
On the first day of his reigning tenure at the restaurant, we spoke with Goody about taking over the kitchen following Levy's departure. The Philadelphia native, who found his passion for cooking by way of his Polish grandmother Chana, told us a little bit more about Alta CA's menu item that reminds him of childhood, the ultimate evening snack, and his go-to local restaurants.
Hoodline: Tell us a little bit about your background.
David Goody: I got my first restaurant job while attending Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA. I worked briefly at a vegetarian/vegan restaurant followed by a local Mexican restaurant. Two years later, I attended CIA (Culinary Institute of America) Hyde Park. To this day, I think it was the best decision I ever made.
H: How'd you land the Alta CA gig?
DG: I landed the job at Alta because Yoni heard I was moving to the Bay Area. We had met years ago through mutual friends while I was visiting Chicago. At the time, I was chef of Gran Electrica, an authentic Mexican restaurant in DUMBO Brooklyn, NY. It's been great working with Yoni. He is the reason I am at Alta. It's tough to say the one thing I will miss most about working with him since he is an outstanding guy with the biggest heart. I am very fortunate to have worked so closely with him for more than a year.
H: How will you add your own flair to the Alta CA menu?
DG: Certain menu items will stay the same, but the menu will change seasonally and based on the best products available (like it always has). The food will still reflect Eastern European and Middle Eastern Jewish flavors since Yoni and I are both Jewish and have similar childhood memories as well as a love and appreciation for those flavors and traditions.
H: You've worked with a number of chefs and new restaurants in different locations (Jeremy Fox, Morimoto in Napa, and Gran Electrica to name a few)—what's keeping you in San Francisco?
DG: A lot of my friends have called me to open restaurants. I like the growth potential the West Coast offers, and joining up with Yoni provided the opportunity to work with a growing company (Daniel Patterson Group). Daniel is a world-renowned chef and the company is strong and has a lot of talent behind it, and I see great things for the future of the company. That was really an added bonus to joining Yoni here.
H: What's your favorite Alta CA menu item?
DG: It always changes, but I could eat our pastrami everyday. I love it. Being an east coast Jew, I grew up snacking on corned beef or pastrami out of the fridge—my mom would go to the deli and I could grab something out of the fridge. That's reminiscent of my childhood. And the squid and fennel sausage salad—it's delicious, light and refreshing.
H: Tell us your favorite after-work meal.
DG: My typical meal after work is rice, kewpie mayo, Japanese rice seasoning (furikake), kimchee, and a fried egg.
H: What are your favorite restaurants in the Hayes Valley / Mid-Market area?
DG: Currently, my favorite restaurants are Rich Table, 20th Century Cafe, Al’s Place, and Liholiho Yacht Club.
While Alta CA's menu isn't expected to change much with his arrival, expect to see Goody add his influence as time passes. And be sure to pop your head in to say hi.
