On April 21, 2025, we gathered together 89 of San Diego’s Michelin stars , scrappy upstarts, bartenders, bakers, brewers, farmers, fishers, ranchers, innovators, scene-making lightning bolts at Leila in North Park for a cover shoot.
Captured by San Diego’s star food culture photographer James Tran , this is one helluva 2025 yearbook photo of our city’s food and drink culture . Check out our key below to spot some of the industry’s finest.
Photo Credit: James Tran
Chris Puffer – Puffer Malarkey Collective
Meghan Koll – Little Fox Cups & Cones
JoJo Ruiz – Lionfish/Temaki Sushi
Alex Carballo – Fox Point Farms
Accursio Lota – Trattoria Cori Pastificio
Randy Smerik – Solare Ristorante
Andrew Bachelier – Atelier Manna/ Chick & Hawk
Crystal White – Wayfarer Bread
Travis Swikard – Callie
Ludivine Ryon – Parfait Paris
Lani Gobaleza – Paru Tea
Amy Truong – Paru Tea
Flor Franco – Franco Group
Carmen Velasco-Favela – Mujeres Brew House
Lara Worm – Bivouac Ciderworks
Michael Esposito – Snake Oil Cocktail Co.
Dave Lively – Fall Brewing Company
Ananda Bareño – The Marine Room
Jeff Motch – Blind Lady Ale House/ Panama 66
Tanner Saraspe – Saraspe Seafoods
Richard Blais – Ember & Rye/ California English
Sienna Walters – Companion Bread
Tara Monsod – Animae/Le Coq
Wally Sadat – The Kebab Shop
Kate Garrett – Feeding San Diego
David Spatafore – Blue Bridge Hospitality
Guillaume Ryon – Parfait Paris
Tim Kolanko – Urban Kitchen Group
Suzanna Beltz – Oddish Wine
Ryan Thorsen – Mister A’s
Billy Beltz – Oddish Wine
Bertrand Hug – Mille Fleurs
Trey Foshee – Georges at the Cove
Claudette Zepeda – Leu Leu
Makoto Chino – Chino Farm
Anne-Marie Coulon – Little Lion Cafe
Nick Balsamo – Rosemarie’s Burgers
Mario Cassineri – Ciccia Osteria
Bob Harrington – Specialty Produce
Johnny Rivera – Hash House A Go Go/ Wolf in the Woods
Ted Smith – Starlite
Brandon Zanavich – The Friendly
Mike Reidy – The Fishery
Phillip Esteban – White Rice/Wildflour Delicatessen
Michael Soriano – Onairos Design
Beau du Bois – Roma Norte/Marisi/Puesto
Matthew Lyons – Tribute Pizza
Ryan Johnston – Gravity Heights/Catania
Ian Ward – Ponyboy
Joshua Becker — The Lion’s Share
Eric Bost – Jeune et Jolie/Campfire/ Wildland/Lilo
Torrey Lee – Cafe Moto
Kimberly Lee – Cafe Moto
Quinnton Austin – Louisiana Purchase
David Sim – Kingfisher
Roberto Alcocer – Valle
Eric Johnson – Happy Medium
Christian Siglin – Happy Medium
Brian Redzikowski – Kettner Exchange/ The Waverly
Niccolò Angius – Cesarina/Elvira
Cesarina Mezzoni – Cesarina/Elvira
Charleen Sandoval – Born and Raised
Kory Stetina — Kindred/Mothership/ Vulture/Dreamboat
Anchi Mei – MAKE Projects
Kevin Alvarado – Kinme Omakase/ Azuki Sushi
Jennifer Gilmore – Kitchens for Good
Daiki Endo – Menya Ultra
Brendan Huffman – Monarch Ocean Pub/ Wonderland Ocean Pub/ Social Syndicate
Anthony Schmidt – CH Projects
Sam the Cooking Guy – YouTuber/ Cookbook Author
Roddy Browning – Flying Pig Pub & Kitchen
Aaron Browning – Flying Pig Pub & Kitchen
Carene Thompson – Thompson Heritage Ranch
Steven Torres – Stella Jean’s/Pop Pie Co
Ty Thompson – Thompson Heritage Ranch
Drew Deckman – 31ThirtyOne/ Deckman’s en el Mogor
Noel Stehly – Stehly Farms Organics
Kelli Crosson – A.R. Valentien/The Lodge at Torrey Pines
Gan Suebsarakham – Stella Jean’s/Pop Pie Co
Brad Wise – Trust Restaurant Group
Alicia Perry – CH Projects
Peter Halmay – San Diego Fishermen’s Working Group
Chelsea Coleman – The Rose Wine Bar/ Mabel’s Gone Fishing
Brijet Myers – Little Italy Mercato
Not pictured but in attendance:
85. Charles Kaufman – Bread & Cie
