After four years steering the kitchen at Rich Table, chef de cuisine Gizela Ho is breaking out on her own with a new project called Good Morning 96. She is planning a casual, produce-forward restaurant built for sharing that pulls flavors from her childhood in Guam, her family ties to Hong Kong and her years cooking across Northern California. It is the latest chef-driven opening to watch as San Francisco’s dining scene keeps drifting toward smaller, personality-forward spots.
Ho’s path to a solo venture covers a lot of territory. She grew up in Guam, started out at UC Davis as a biochemistry major, then pivoted to culinary school at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa. She first staged at Rich Table in 2014, spent time cooking in Hong Kong and came back to San Francisco in 2017, eventually rising to chef de cuisine, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Rich Table’s own site lists Ho as chef de cuisine and credits her with refining the restaurant’s market-driven, seasonal style. Industry write ups trace her time in Michelin-starred kitchens in Hong Kong and her habit of staging at places like Mister Jiu’s and Ernest on her days off. StarChefs notes that those experiences helped shape both her palate and technique.
What Good Morning 96 Will Serve
Ho has been clear that she does not want Good Morning 96 to be pinned down to a single cuisine. Instead, she is planning a menu divided into “snacky” sections with just two entrees that will rotate with the seasons. Early reporting mentions a cold glass noodle salad in a spicy shiso vinaigrette, grilled Monterey squid and a seasonal pizookie for dessert, per the San Francisco Chronicle. The name Good Morning 96 pulls together references to a Hong Kong kitchen-towel brand, Guam’s motto and the year Ho’s grandfather opened a storefront.
How This Fits Into S.F.’s Restaurant Scene
Ho’s jump into her own project fits a broader pattern of cooks from high-profile local kitchens launching smaller, more personal concepts. Rich Table itself has already spawned offshoots such as RT Rotisserie, covered by Eater SF, and its pedigree is reinforced by recognition from the Michelin Guide.
For now, Ho is still searching for a brick and mortar space and has not shared an opening timeline, so some details are likely to evolve as she signs a lease and assembles a team. What is clear already is that Good Morning 96 fits into a growing wave of San Francisco restaurants that lean into personal stories and seasonal ingredients. Where Ho finally lands, and what the full menu looks like once a space is secured, will be worth watching.
