Jon Bautista
Culinary Director, Common Theory Public House
where chefs shop in San Diego
JTran Photos
“Honestly, I don’t find many days to shop at the market to cook for my family since I’m at the restaurant so much. But when I do, I shop at the Specialty Produce warehouse. Being in the industry for 15 years or so, I’ve developed a great relationship with the Harrington family and the staff—many I can call my great friends—and they have supported me throughout my cooking career. The thing I like most is that they have everything you could possibly need. I love sunchokes [Jerusalem artichokes], and that might be the only place you can buy them in San Diego. I’m very picky about the quality of ingredients—seasonality is a must—and they never disappoint.”
Holly Haines
Private Chef and Food Blogger, My Impossibly Tiny Kitchen
where chefs shop in San Diego Holly Haines
HelloMikee
“One of my favorite things to do is wake up early on a Saturday morning and get to 99 Ranch Market while it’s still empty. I always find inspiration in the produce section. Ninety-nine percent of the time I don’t know what’s what, but if it looks and smells interesting enough, I’ll snap a picture of the sign, purchase it, then take it home and Google it to figure out what to do with it. It’s my go-to for Asian ingredients—I’ve found Chinese, Filipino, Indonesian, and Thai products there.”
Hanna Tesfamichael
Executive Chef and Owner, Hanna’s Gourmet
where chefs shop in San Diego Hanna Tesfamichael
“My favorite place to shop is Ocean Beach People’s Food Organic Market. They have an incredible selection of organic fruits, vegetables, and grains. They’re a vegetarian store, so I buy my meats at Whole Foods, and lamb at Balboa International Market.”
Quinnton Austin
Executive Chef, Louisiana Purchase
Where Chefs Shop in San Diego
“When it’s just for myself, I love shopping at Trader Joe’s. I tend to wander down every aisle to see what new items might be stocked. You can find some really cool and unique stuff there. One of my favorite items is the tomato feta soup—it’s rich, creamy, and cheesy. I love that this soup is full of flavor, and always leaves me feeling satisfied without being too full.”
Ana Davis
Executive Pastry Chef, Provisional Kitchen
Where Chefs Shop in San Diego
“I love to go to the Oceanside Farmers Market on Thursday mornings and get delicious strawberries from JR Organics when they’re in season. I’ll take those home, macerate them with some vanilla sugar, and put them atop some fresh corn biscuits. I’ll spoon a dollop of crème fraîche on the side, and enjoy it with a good book and a glass of wine.”
Travis Swikard
Executive Chef and Owner, Callie (opening next year in East Village)
Where Chefs Shop in San Diego
jim sullivan
“I love going to Chino Farms to do my weekly shopping because, quite simply, the produce is amazing and flavorful. I also enjoy going there and seeing the Chino family. It’s great to be able to see the people and the hands that raise, nurture, and harvest your food. When I’m at home I love to cook mostly vegetable-forward meals, like eggplant ‘steak’ with tahina. I urge people to try vegetables they aren’t used to eating, from scarlet okra to honey nut squash or even kumquats and figs.”
Where Chefs Shop in San Diego
Photo by James Tran and Olivia Beall
