Chef Felix Santos has been part of San Francisco’s dining scene long enough that many assume he is a local, but he actually grew up in Florida, far from the professional kitchen. “While food was always an important facet of gatherings with both the Puerto Rican and Peruvian sides of my family growing up, I was rarely if at all involved in the cooking process,” he recalls. His path into cooking began in high school in Tarpon Springs, where an elective culinary class sparked his interest and eventually led him to culinary school in Miami. “One day, a high school friend called me and invited me to move out to the Bay Area where he was cooking,” Santos says. He never returned home.
At both Maritime Boat Club and Bar Maritime, Santos balances a love of travel with a deep commitment to local sourcing. Inspiration from the flavors of Mexico City, one of his favorite destinations, often appears alongside standout California produce. “The perfect little artichokes that just ended at Star Route Farms, the delicious tomatoes from Lonely Mountain Farm, the red shishitos from McGinnis Ranch that lasted all but three weeks.”
Santos’ cooking often reflects both the ingredients that inspire him and memories from his travels in Mexico and beyond. He is married to chef Sofia Lechuga, a frequent collaborator whose family roots in Mexico also influence his perspective in the kitchen.
One example is the black cod recently added to the Maritime Boat Club menu, which he describes as “a take on rajas poblanas, a typical Mexican dish that I've always loved and has had a close spot in my heart due to a friend from Puebla.”
The dish came together when Santos noticed that FEED Sonoma, a local farmer cooperative, had Paul’s Produce poblanos available. “I bought ten pounds and had to figure out what to make of it,” he says.
The result is a bright green sauce layered with “vibrant cooked and raw poblano peppers, blistered corn, and a final dash of grated jalapeño and lime juice that just made me so happy to eat with the richness of black cod.”
