CHEF’S KISS

Architecture and design firm Mobley Bloomfield creates a well-functioning kitchen for celebrated San Francisco chef Melissa Perello.

She’s best known for her wildly popular San Francisco restaurants, Octavia and Frances (the latter of which holds a coveted Michelin star), but Chef Melissa Perello—and her own kitchen— is as approachable as they come. She moved into her home in 2004 at age 28, while working as the Chef at Charles Nob Hill. “It felt good to have a space of my own to come home to,” she recalls, but admits the kitchen was pretty plain when she first moved in. “I had done some small improvements a few years in, but we were ready for a major overhaul when we reached out to Bill and Jen.”

Bill and Jen—more formally, Bill Bloomfield and Jennifer Mobley—are the creative force behind Mobley

Bloomfield, an architecture and design firm. Melissa first connected with the pair via Michael Baushke, the designer behind both restaurant spaces. “We Ioved their style and were excited to work with them on this project,” she says.

The pair says the kitchen was dark and cramped, with a wall dividing the kitchen from the living area that blocked natural light. They opened it up, but were surprised by how “to the point” her other requests were. “Melissa’s kitchen is very reduced and simplified in comparison to many of our other clients’ kitchens,” Jennifer says. “She showed us how having a few primary elements is all one needs in a kitchen—it’s all about the range, work surfaces, functional storage, and light.”

Though Melissa admits she doesn’t host or cook at home quite as much as she’d like (she’s got two stellar restaurants to run, after all), the space has been a game changer. “We do love to entertain at home when we have the time and wherewithal, so the occasions aren’t as many as we might like. But when we do, we always congregate in the kitchen.”

1 1. Mobley Bloomfield removed the wall separating the kitchen from the living area to join the spaces and allow natural light into the kitchen. Reflective wall tile (Ann Sacks Glazed Terra-Cotta) covers the entire wall behind the Blue Star 36-inch Precious Metals Range, and a long metal shelf (by ReUnion Creative) beams direct task lighting onto the countertops and cookbook storage.

2 2. Brendan Waters Construction served as contractor for the project. There is no formal dining room in the apartment, so the kitchen was to act as an entertainment and dining space. The island is the central focus, with an Urban Electric sconce overhead and stools by Fyrn.

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