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MELISSA PERFIT • Equal Parts
WORK • Friday Routine
MELISSA PERFIT • executive chef • Equal Parts
Neighborhood you work in: North Beach
It’s Wednesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
The usual morning scene during the weekdays in the kitchen at Equal Parts is centered on prep for dinner service and the week in general. We have 2-3 prep cooks following a prep list that either my sous chef or I write for them the night before. They’ve worked for me at previous restaurants, and I’m lucky to have them working with me again here at Equal Parts.
What’s on the agenda for today?
Once I get to work, I usually check in with the lead prep cook to see if he needs anything, has any questions, or if there were any problems with the orders. Next on the agenda is organizing the walk-in if needed, followed by general daily organization. I double-check the reservations for the day, check on any new parties, and review the menus to make sure we’re set up and ready to go. At 3p, the morning cooks leave for their night jobs, and the night cooks arrive after their morning jobs elsewhere. These cooks work so hard! After that, stations are set up, breaks are taken, I touch base with front-of-house to address any questions, and then, we’re ready to go!
Right now, I’m excited about a seasonal dish that’s about to hit the menu, a pluot and Early Girl tomato salad with a vegan miso bagna cauda, finished with black and white sesame seeds. Simple, but so delicious.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
Working so much in the first year of this new restaurant makes me happy to cook dinner at home and relax on the couch. But I did go to Hog Island at the Ferry Building for a late lunch yesterday, and it was great as always. My favorite restaurant in the city is Rintaro (a very common answer for most chefs, I’m told!) and I like to go there whenever I want to treat myself. The environment is fun and relaxed, while the food is always on point and completely different from anything I make.
How about a little leisure or culture?
When I can, I like taking quick overnight trips up to Guerneville and staying at the relaxed motel resort R3. Anytime I have the opportunity to get to a pool or other body of water, I’ll make it happen! This might be the Florida in me that I’ll never shake.
Any weekend getaways?
For a day trip I like to drive up to Tomales Bay and go to The Marshall Store for lunch. I worked with the owner, Shannon Gregory, years ago at Hog Island.
What was your last great vacation?
A couple of years ago I had the opportunity to go to Japan (above) to tour historic sake breweries in Fukuoka Prefecture — like Kitaya and Oga Shuzo — to see firsthand how sake is made. From washing the rice to fermentation, and finally, the finished product, it was one of the most amazing things to learn about and see up close. After that, I went to Tokyo for a few days. I wish I could’ve stayed longer, but I’ll never forget that trip!
What store or service do you always recommend?
I always recommend my chiropractor to people, probably too much because now it’s impossible to get an appointment! I’ve been going to Dr. Taylor Rabbetz, at Rabbetz Sports Chiropractic for 20 years, mostly to keep me healthy and on my feet since the long hours make it hard for me to take care of my body sometimes. He’s also helped me heal from multiple injuries.
Where are you donating your time or money?
I’m taking part in an auction for a private chef experience through North Beach Citizens. It’s a resource center for unhoused and extremely low-income people to help rebuild their lives and reconnect with their community. Equal Parts is also partnering with Up Hill Climb to donate to the Kilimanjaro Orphanage Center to feed the entire center every Monday, for an entire year.