Ron Siegel began his career in the culinary arts as a butcher in a grocery store in Palo Alto, CA, where his family moved from New York when he was seven. A few years and many jobs later, Siegel enrolled in San Francisco’s California Culinary Academy. It was during this time that he met Michael Mina, who hired him as a line cook at Aqua in 1991. In 1993, Siegel returned to his native New York to work with Daniel Boulud at Restaurant Daniel. Just one year later Thomas Keller brought the young Siegel back to the Bay Area as his opening sous chef at The French Laundry in Yountville, CA.

In 1996, Siegel left The French Laundry to become the Chef at Charles Nob Hill in San Francisco, where he remained for five years. During this time, Siegel quickly became one of the Bay Area’s rising culinary stars, including defeating the reigning Iron Chef champion Hiroyuki Sakai on national television in 1998. Siegel was also named one of Food & Wine magazine’s “Best New Chefs of 1999.” In 2001, Siegel was offered the position of Executive Chef at Masa’s where he remained until June of 2004.

In July 2004, Siegel joined The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco as Chef of The Dining Room. His cuisine, which he describes as Modern French with a Japanese influence, is complemented by an extensive wine list by Sommelier Stephane Lacroix.

Stephane Lacroix joined The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco in September 1999 as Director of Wine and Sommelier for the 336-room Nob Hill landmark.   The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco is the only hotel in the nation to capture Mobil’s Five Stars and AAA’s Five Diamonds for the hotel as well as its renowned Dining Room.

Lacroix is responsible for overseeing the selection of all wine and spirits and maintaining an extensive list of more than 1400 fine wines and champagnes in The Dining Room.  He works closely with Dining Room Chef Ron Siegel to develop a wine list that includes rare wines from around the world to complement the seasonal modern French cuisine.  The Dining Room’s wine list focuses primarily on California’s finest wineries and some of the world’s rarest vineyards. 

Lacroix began his wine career in 1985 at Le Puy-en-Velay Hotel School in France.  After graduating two years later, he became assistant sommelier at Le Clave in Clermont France.  Stephane continued his education at Chamalieres Hotel School where he was named “Best Young Sommelier of Central France.”  In 1990, he attended the highly regarded Tain L’Hermitage Sommelier School and was deemed “Best Young Sommelier of France – Bordeaux Wines” and “Best Young Sommelier of Monaco.”

After graduating from Tain L’Hermitage, Lacroix worked with many talented chefs including Roger Vergé at Le Moulin de Mougins in Mougin; Alain Ducasse at Le Louis XV at the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo; Jean-Louis Palladin at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C.; and Michael Mina at Aqua in San Francisco.  He also opened Aqua at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas.

The Dining Room is one of only 17 restaurants in North America and one of only two in California to earn Mobil’s coveted Five-Star award for 2008.  The Dining Room has also earned AAA’s Five Diamond rating and a Four Star rating from The San Francisco Chronicle, the newspaper’s highest rating. The Dining Room is open Tuesday through Thursday evening 6 to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. The main dining room seats 96 for intimate, elegant dining and a private dining room seats parties of nine to 18. For reservations or additional information, please call (415) 773-6168.

Black and white and color photography available upon request

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Alexander Espiritu graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY in 1988.  After graduation, he worked as a rounds cook at several hotels, including New York’s Waldorf Astoria and the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in San Francisco before leaving for Italy in 1991 for a six-month scholarship to study Italian cuisine.

Espiritu attended the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners in Piemonte, Italy until 1992.  He then moved to Milan, Italy where he apprenticed in a Milanese restaurant before returning to the United Sates to further his professional path.
Later that year Espiritu moved back to San Francisco to work with Gary Danko, Chef of The Dining Room at The       Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco.  At this point in his career, Espiritu realized that his passion was in pastry, and moved on to work at The Sheraton Palace Hotel and Splendido Restaurant in San Francisco to gain experience and develop his natural affinity for incorporating simple and classic ingredients.
In 1994 Espiritu moved to New York to work at Picholine, the acclaimed Lincoln Center restaurant.  Under Terrance Brennan, he refined the use of a multitude of classic flavors.  During this time, the restaurant elevated from a Two-to-Three Star review from The New York Times.  After Picholine, he worked at several boutique hotels and restaurants, including Restaurant 44 in The Royalton Hotel and later, the Matthew Kenney Group, overseeing Commune, Canteen and Matthew’s.  In 2001, he left New York to help open Commune Restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia. 
 
In November 2003, Espiritu moved back to Northern California as pastry chef at Pacific Edge, located in The Highland’s Inn in Carmel, CA where he worked until returning to The Dining Room at The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco in December 2004 as Pastry Chef. 

His desserts, which may include Cinnamon Panna Cotta with Pear Sorbet and Tangerine Granita; Apple Tarte Tatin with Quince Compote, Caramelized Apple Brandy and Cinnamon Crème Fraîche Ice Cream; Citrus Composition : Meyer Lemon Tart, Tangerine Thyme Sorbet, Citrus Carpaccio and Yuzu Ice Cream; or Chocolate Manjari Caramel Cake with Milk Chocolate Ice Cream, Hazelnut Foam and Fleur de Sel, perfectly complement Chef Ron Siegel’s cuisine, described as Modern French with a Japanese influence.  Guests may select from four prix fixe menus priced at $74 for three courses; $94 for a six course tasting or vegetarian menu; and $120 for a nine course Chef’s tasting menu.  Prices include dessert. 

The Dining Room, which is open Tuesday through Thursday evening 6 to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., is one of only 17 restaurants in North America to earn Mobil’s coveted Five-Star award for 2008 and one of only two Five-Star restaurants in California. The main dining room seats 96 for intimate, elegant dining and a private dining room seats parties of nine to 18. For reservations or additional information, please call (415) 773-6168.

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