Local chef/owner Josh Skenes (Saison) won the Outstanding Culinary Award by the The International Culinary Center on Tuesday. Skenes, an alumni of said International Culinary Center, was among five individuals to nab the (PR-tinged) award for excellence in, like, you know, cooking stuff. Before opening Saison, Skenes opened Stonehill Tavern at the St. Regis Resort (Dana Point in la maison, yo!).

A noted redhead, the mind-bendingly talented (and way hot) Skenes was also named a Rising Star Chef by The Chronicle in 2010. It's now next to impossible to get a seat at his Michelin star-ranked joint in the Mission. But worth a shot.

Speaking of Saison, Skenes transformed the place into an 18-seat restaurant after the Thanksgiving weekend, with a ticket-based $498 chef counter. Now boasting a scant 18 seats (down from 42!), "[t]here will only be one seating per evening at each table, meaning there will be no turns, which is something Skenes has wanted to do for a while. The regular menu is currently up to 12 (or more) courses, $198 per person," reports Inside Scoop.

If you can't make it to Saison, we implore you to check out Stable Cafe right next door. A great place for coffee, cookies, and light bites.