Raul Ayala, Dirty Habit
Raul Ayala was just looking for a job when he joined the opening team at Dirty Habit in 2014 as a barback. Though he was curious about careers in the hospitality industry, bartending was never a career he had seriously considered — until the job changed all that.
“After experiencing a few nights barbacking during those early days at Dirty Habit, I was changed — I literally fell in love with the energy, the people and the adrenaline,” says Ayala.
Ayala worked his way up, learning the ropes from his mentors and colleagues: Brian Means (a 2015 Bar Star who now works with the Mina Group) and Sarah Ruiz (who manages the bar at the D.C. outlet of Dirty Habit). He learned not only the recipes and fundamentals, but also the operational side of the business.
“This seems simple, but one of the best things I learned was to be organized,” says Ayala. “Attention to detail and organization are huge foundational lessons, and so important while working at such a busy San Francisco restaurant and bar, especially on a weekend night.”
Today, as bar manager, Ayala has developed a style and menu that feels like a seamless and natural evolution of his predecessors. He developed a menu that melded his own creations with Dirty Habit’s elegant feel.
“For me it’s all about connections to memories — I like to reconnect with flavors and textures I’ve experienced and enjoyed in my past, especially from my childhood growing up in the small town of Tanhuato, Michoacán, Mexico,” says Ayala.
Mexican ingredients show up and showcase his identity without feeling gimmicky — things like epazote herb and chile morita add depth of flavor rather than shock value. There’s even a Japanese-influenced horchata, made with miso, sesame and rice: “I do use some unusual ingredients but it’s important to balance them out in harmonious ways. It’s like putting together the components of a great dish. We want the value to be there and we want to blow their minds.”
12 Fourth St., S.F., inside Hotel Zelos.