Managing Partner · San Francisco · Aug 2016 – Jan 2019
[PLACEHOLDER: 1-sentence thesis for August 1 Five — what the room was, what it asked of the program, what Brian ran.]
01 · The role
New-build Indian restaurant at 524 Van Ness. Full scope: construction oversight, conceptual modeling, opening plan, F&B engine, and the two-and-a-half-year tenure that followed. Year-one sales beat budget by a million dollars.
San Francisco, August 2016 – January 2019. Managing Partner at August 1 Five, a new-build Indian restaurant at 524 Van Ness Avenue. Full scope from pre-construction through opening and the first operating run — construction oversight, conceptual modeling, and the opening program driven on a Critical Path with timelines and checklists against a targeted open date.
Kitchen side: collaborated with Chef Manish Tyagi on kitchen design, equipment selection, and layout. Recruited the Chef de Cuisine and oversaw menu and plating through revision. Built the F&B engine top to bottom — menu engineering and costing spreadsheets, Private Events program, Pre-fix menus, and a Chefs Tasting format that lifted check averages. Created and ran the full beverage program: wine, spirits, cocktails — spec through service.
The business side: mentored a first-time restaurant owner through every phase of the opening cycle. Hiring, vendor contracts, P&L discipline, launch sequencing. Year-one sales exceeded budget projections by $1 million.
This is where I hired and trained Jordan White. Jordan is now Managing Partner at Barbary Belle — a two-year run at this bar became the basis for the partnership that anchors my current project. That's the kind of room you can pull a partner out of.
02 · The work
Managing Partner scope meant every system in the building reported through one seat.
Critical Path, timelines, checklists — targeted open date delivered.
Coordinated with architects, contractors, and the kitchen team.
Kitchen design, equipment selection, layout, Chef de Cuisine recruit, menu and plating revision.
Indian regional spice pantry as the kitchen's identity.
Full menu engineering and costing spreadsheets, theoretical food cost tracking, margin discipline across every item.
The spreadsheet set outlasted the engagement.
Private Events program, Pre-fix menus, Chefs Tasting format — all built to lift check average and drive private event bookings.
Chefs Tasting in particular became the room's signature format.
Spec, builds, wine list curated against the kitchen's regional pantry, spirit program, and cocktail list built to hold its own alongside the food.
Operational from open through the full tenure.
03 · The room
03 · The team
Two years of shift-running with Jordan White at August 1 Five became the basis for the partnership behind my current project.
Then · Bartender → Bar Lead, August 1 Five (2016–2019)
Hired and trained at August 1 Five during my tenure. Two years of shift-running, spec work, service discipline, and operating a bar that earned its own clientele separate from the dining room.
Then · Executive Chef, August 1 Five
Kitchen partner through the build. Collaborated on kitchen design, equipment, layout, Chef de Cuisine recruit, and menu revision.
04 · Recognition
SF's critical outlets lined up on the program from opening week forward — Michael Bauer's 3.5-star review and Top 100 placement, Beat Bobby Flay during the tenure, and dedicated opening-cocktail coverage in SF Weekly.
Exceptional $12 specialty cocktails, many of which are mixed with lots of Indian spices and herbs and a detectable whiff of India's British influences.Read the piece
It wasn't until he stepped into the August 1 Five kitchen that his immense talent and creativity emerged, blending influences of his native and adopted lands.Read the piece
It's a mad scientist crossed with an Old Fashioned crossed with S'mores.Read the piece
Representing August 1 Five, Chef Tyagi defeated Bobby Flay with paneer spinach lasagna. National TV exposure during the operator tenure.Read the piece
Don't come here expecting tikka masala and butter chicken — chef Tyagi has many more dishes to show you.Read the piece
05 · Outbound
August 1 Five closed in 2020. The partnership it produced is at Barbary Belle now.
A note from Brian
The year-one number was good. The partnership is better. A two-year bar run is how you find the person you can build the next room with.