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Teague Moriarty

Teague Moriarty is a celebrated American chef best known for co-founding the two-Michelin-starred restaurant Sons & Daughters in San Francisco right after graduating from culinary school. With a focus on New American cuisine that emphasizes seasonality and local ingredients, Moriarty’s creative approach has earned him significant recognition over the years, including a Rising Star Chef accolade from the San Francisco Chronicle and a semifinalist nod from the James Beard Foundation. Moriarty and his business partner Matt MacNamara also opened two other San Francisco restaurants: Sweet Woodruff and The Square (both now closed).
Teague Moriarty
Chef
Teague Moriarty

The Chef

Northern California native Moriarty has been passionate about food since his early years, honing his skills at Bay Area establishments, including Limón Rotisserie and B Restaurant & Bar, while studying at culinary school. Immediately after graduating in 2010, Moriarty and friend MacNamara co-founded Sons & Daughters. Their vision was to create a fine-dining experience that showcased the best of Northern California’s seasonal ingredients through modern, innovative dishes.

Moriarty quickly garnered attention for his talent, earning a Rising Star Chef award from the San Francisco Chronicle in 2012, and a place on Zagat's 30 Under 30 in San Francisco list and Forbes Magazine's 30 Under 30 in Food and Wine list the same year. These accolades were followed by a James Beard Foundation semifinalist nod in 2014.

Known for his leadership both in and out of the kitchen, Moriarty has been an advocate for sustainable sourcing and creating a positive work environment. Following the challenges posed by the Covid pandemic, he restructured his restaurant's business model to offer salaried positions for all staff, championing fairness and stability in the industry.

Restaurants

Located in San Francisco's Nob Hill neighborhood, Sons & Daughters opened in 2010 and quickly gained a reputation in the city’s fine-dining scene, being named in GQ Magazine's list of the Best Restaurants in San Francisco. It earned its first Michelin star in 2012 and added a second in 2024, following the appointment of new Executive Chef Harrison Cheney. Bringing a new Nordic influence to the menu, Cheney has infused Moriarty's original vision with his own techniques and preferences.

With seating for just 16 guests, Sons & Daughters offers an intimate and carefully curated dining experience. The menu, which has evolved over the years, currently features a complex tasting menu that showcases the abundance of Northern California's seasonal produce.

The restaurant's dedication to sustainability is reflected in its partnerships with local farmers and growers. Every aspect of the menu is meticulously sourced, and the kitchen team practices upcycling, ensuring that nothing goes to waste. This commitment to quality and sustainability has helped Sons & Daughters maintain its significance in San Francisco’s fine-dining scene.

Building on the success of Sons & Daughters, Moriarty and MacNamara expanded their culinary footprint first with takeout spot Sweet Woodruff and The Square in North Beach, both of which are now closed.

Recipes and dishes

Moriarty's culinary philosophy revolves around the principles of seasonality, simplicity, and sustainability. His approach to New American cuisine emphasizes using the freshest Northern Californian ingredients, many of which come directly from his own Dark Hill Farm in Santa Cruz, which he set up with MacNamara in 2013. Moriarty’s dedication to hyper-local sourcing is reflected in his meticulously curated tasting menus, which change with the seasons to showcase the best available produce, meats, and seafood.

Signature dishes during Moriarty’s tenure at Sons & Daughters have included refined takes on classic ingredients like koji-aged lamb, which exemplifies his focus on fermentation techniques to enhance natural flavors. His seafood dishes, such as barbecued monkfish, highlight the delicate balance between brightness and acidity that characterizes much of his cooking. Moriarty’s emphasis on letting ingredients speak for themselves is evident in the minimalist presentation and careful pairing of sauces, which enhance rather than overpower the core flavors of each dish.

At The Square, the aim was to offer a modern take on classic tavern fare. The menu included favorites like steak and cheeseburgers, complemented by more surprising dishes such as barley risotto and fried quail and a selection of starters made with seasonal ingredients.

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Restaurants

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