Rodolfo Reyes - Executive Chef

Chef Rodolfo Castellanos Reyes now heads up the kitchen at Chez Papa Bistrot, one of Potrero Hill‘s most popular dining spots. Proprietor Jocelyn Bulow recruited Reyes to enhance the restaurant’s menu, while at the same time maintaining the authentic French Provençal cuisine that is a Chez Papa Bistrot hallmark.


Chef Reyes, 28 years old, was born in Oaxaca, the culinary capital of Mexico, and began his career at a young age by helping at his mother’s restaurant. He subsequently graduated from the Culinary Institute of Mexico and earned a full scholarship from the prestigious Turquois Foundation to study abroad in Monaco for a year. After completing his education, he worked along side the renowned chef Joel Garault at Le Hermitage, long recognized as one of the best hotels in Monaco and then moved on to Le Vistamar, one of the top restaurants in Monte Carlo.


Reyes came to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2004, working as a Sous Chef at Left Bank Brasserie in San Jose. He then went back to Mexico to become the Chef de Cuisine for the French Embassy in Mexico City and remained there until 2007. He moved to San Francisco when he was offered a position by Chef Traci Des Jardins at Jardiniere. In 2009, Chef Reyes joined noted Latin American chef Gaston Acurio at San Francisco’s La Mar, serving as Chef de Cuisine before being appointed the Executive Chef of Chez Papa Bistrot.


Newly introduced menu items at Chez Papa Bistrot include such small plates as Roasted Wild Mushroom Tart with parmesan cheese, frisée salad and a honey vinaigrette; Grilled Artichokes wrapped in prosciutto, stuffed with gorgonzola, with an arugula salad; and Mussels “Provencale” with garlic, shallots, cherry tomatoes, niçoise olives and pastis. Among the large plates are Bouillabaisse with manila clams, mussels, prawns, bay scallops, sea bass, fingerling potatoes and rouille; Liberty Farms Duck Breast with couscous, pearl onions, confit gizzards, grilled eggplant and olive jus; and Lamb Daube with a rosemary-red wine sauce and seasonal vegetables. For dessert, diners can enjoy Tarte Tatin or Lavender Crème Brûlée.


Friendly, knowledgeable service remains a hallmark of Chez Papa Bistrot thanks to co-owners and General Managers Jocelyn Bulow and Marc-Henri Sempere who ensure that the entirety of the restaurant’s dining experience is a good one.


The casual interior of Chez Papa Bistrot is typical of bistros found in the south of France. In addition to 38 seats in the dining room, there is sidewalk seating that adds to the stylish charm of the restaurant. The international wine list, compiled by Wine Director Mark Thompson, includes 85 French, California and South American selections, with 25 of them available by the glass.