SFist Interviews: George Morrone (Sutro’s at the Cliff House)
by Tiffany Maleshefski
Uber-chef George Morrone is best known for helping Aqua and Fifth Floor become the culinary powerhouses they are today. Both boast highly coveted and damn-hard-to-get Michelin stars (two and one stars, respectively) and are fixtures on Michael Bauer’s Top 100. In other words, the only direction to go after you’ve worked at these two restaurants is up.
Which is why Morrone shocked many when he decided to step down to see if he could bring his culinary mojo to the Cliff House. See, Morrone took over as chef de cuisine at Sutro’s at the Cliff House, the tourist-trap dining space at the edge of the city, complete with jarring views of the Pacific. Having Morrone at the Cliff House is like asking The Real Housewives of Orange County to wear knee-length dresses: a very unlikely match. Moreover, transforming one of the city’s best loved, notoriously bad restaurants into a nationally recognized, fine-dining establishment means you’re either crazy confident, crazy arrogant, or just crazy.
We asked Morrone to explain himself.
Given your background, why did you accept a position at such a destination, landmark, touristy restaurant?
After having consulted here for two or three months, I really liked the people that were here, especially Chef Brian [O’Connor], Chef Kevin [J.Weber]. I liked the enthusiasm I saw with the staff. And after getting to know the Cliff House after consulting here, that it being such a landmark, and after enjoying the view for those three months, I said, why shouldn’t it have good food.
What did your colleagues have to say about this?
I don’t care what my colleagues have to say. I don’t know. Everybody has their own opinions. I don’t really think my colleagues could really say anything. If they have achieved what I’ve achieved, then they have every right to say it. If you haven’t, why don’t you concentrate on what you have to do first.
What are your goals for this restaurant?
To bring it to prominence. To give it respectability. We had our first Chronicle review [March 16,2009] and we jumped a full star. It was 1.5 now it’s 2.5, so we have more work to do in this coming year. My goal is 3. It was a little disappointing to not have received it this last time, but I think we’re in the right direction. We certainly have a hell of a lot more business than a lot of other restaurants do right now.
Now prior to consulting here and having a professional involvement. Had you dined at the restaurant?
How this all evolved is I was asked to dine here by the person that’s been doing the marketing here for 10 years. And I do some work for [Diablo Magazine]. I’m a spy when they do their restaurant edition. I go to East Bay restaurants and they have a format, a template of what I need to look for and questions that I need to tell them. So I brought that with me. And when I was done with the meal here, the results were disastrous. And I gave them to her and she brought it to the attention of those who it should concern. I didn’t try to be mean, but it was a ship that was kind of a drift a little bit. And I don’t think Brian had the real support he needed. For anyone who’s in their 30s that says, you know what I never had a mentor, I can learn from you, let me step down, you take my job, I’ll work under you…that’s a smart individual.
What was your biggest priority when you came in…the thing you needed to change first?
Service.
How did you find the service lacking?
They had no support, they had no direction…I’m gifted. My eyes, I see everything, and I just hold people accountable. Nobody was being held accountable.
Was it resting on its laurels? The fact that people were going to come no matter what?
I think the management team was really weak to be honest with you. Since then, we’ve gotten rid of two of the managers. And the managers that stayed are working a lot harder, but really making a difference now. I think sometimes you need to get rid of dead weight to move on. Sometimes people are afraid to speak what’s really on their mind, and I’m not. And I’m not going to let anything weigh me down and prohibit my progress and my goals.
What’s the service like now?
It reflects my personality and my leadership. There’s more attention to details. There’s no shortcuts. There’s accountability. There’s more professionalism. Not that they were unprofessional before, but it kind of like a country club atmosphere. I felt that the service was very uneven in the beginning because of that.
Now what about the food?
I always say you have to walk before you run. I think Brian and I fooled around for awhile and came up with a set menu that we felt we can produce consistently #1. Because that’s the only way you’re going to upgrade a restaurant is by becoming consistent. I’m not trying to do Fifth Floor food. Little things from early Aqua days and things from the Tartar days. I call it modern American food. A lot of seafood because you’re on the water, but approachable because my clientele does fluctuate, and I have to build a crew. I can’t try to do ultimate George Morrone food with a crew that doesn’t understand. I inherited this whole crew, so it’s a learning process. It’s my job to teach them first before I can really, really keep pushing it.
Do you plan on growing it into “complete George Morrone” food?
I don’t know. I still don’t know the beast. Because honestly, Saturdays and Sundays, we between lunch and dinner each day, 400 people minimum. That’s 800 people on the weekends to 1,000. And then you drop back down Monday through Friday.
So you have to balance this high volume…
...with creativity, with cutting edge, with what makes sense….the equipment we have. This is it. I don’t have a million dollar kitchen, I don’t have a high-end kitchen. This is what I have. To answer that question: I think I’ll develop a different side of George Morrone this time. See things in a different light.
Info:
Sutro at the Cliff House
1090 Point Lobos (between Great Hwy & Merrie Way in the Outer Richmond)
Hours: Mon-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
415-386-3330