About Us
About the Baker
It's kind of crazy I'm just now starting my dream job. The one I might have had if it wasn't for that first dream job. For the better part of two decades, I had the fortune of producing thousands of hours of local television, celebrating the people, places, history and quirk of the Bay Area on KPIX-TV's "Evening Magazine" and "Eye on the Bay". Maybe it was because of my 150 year San Francisco roots, or my love of roadtripping all corners of the Bay, being a local storyteller was my nirvana. (It also turned me into a pretty fun tour guide). And because my family is full of passionate foodies, guess what type of stories I loved telling most?
I interviewed renowned Bay Area chefs, and hunted for cheap eats. I rallied viewers to support mom and pop food makers and I dug into the archives to celebrate the history and traditions of Bay Area foods. Every food story I told, I imagined my Noni and Mom on their food journey in the simpler heyday of San Francisco. The traditions we had as a family (and our little famous Blum's Coffee Crunch Cake addiction...and secret) parlayed into stories that celebrated foods of yesteryear and my hobby of recreating bygone recipes. The awe I had for my food maker subjects is what always made me say, maybe someday! That someday is here. My chapter three.
My family had a tendency to cook in a rustic, unrefined and uber-flavorful way. Rarely were things measured, it was a little of this and a little of that. We cooked from the heart, by repetition, improvisation and every one of our senses played a big role in what was created. I always tended to push the food boundaries in endless test kitchen days. And like my pursuit of a good local food history story, I love nothing more than to bring old family recipes and techniques into the mix. That's what Rustic Nosh is all about. Memorable flavors and food experiences that mix old and new. Chapter three begins with a memorable coffee cake - and from here - a soon to come food journey. What a thrill to be a part of the Peninsula's food making ecosystem.
-James Reid