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Gather, 2200 Oxford Street, Berkeley, CA
Sean expresses the true poetry of the local Northern California landscape through the food he creates.
With experience that spans a sous chef position at Millennium under famed vegan chef Eric Tucker to turning Santa Cruz’s Gabriella Café into a Zagat’s Top Italian Restaurant in the Nation, Sean considers farmers and ranchers the unsung heroes of our local economy. In 2010 Sean was named Esquire's Chef of the Year.
He is committed to forging personal connections that ensure the food at Gather is wholly organic and raised without pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, artificial/synthetic fertilizers, hormones and antibiotics.
Sean’s philosophy is to support and promote the organic, sustainable food movement. His passion is rustic, ingredient-driven food. He sources from a wide range of local food producers. Ingredients are meticulously researched to ensure that the food selected is cultivated safely, justly and sustainably.
There is a “Source Book” at the restaurant, available by request, that traces the lifecycle of every ingredient. The menu is 50% vegetarian (with many vegan options) and 50% meat and fish.
At Gather food is seen as a gift and a privilege, brought to the table through the efforts of many. Co-owner, Ari Derfel, believes that “we’re here to harness the power of the fork to nourish people’s spirit and feed a movement.”
Chef's Green News
 Gather is both contemporary and timeless. Natural elements bring the space to life – wood, stone, fire, water and greenery abound. Sustainability is evident throughout the restaurant – from reclaimed lumber, recycled tiles and compressed paper counters, to weathered steel, and no VOC paints. State of the art energy efficient equipment is used. A computer controls the hood system by regulating how much heat comes off the cooking line.
The space combines reclaimed woods rich with history, metal, concrete, and other sustainable, long lasting materials. Cushions were created from re-used leather belts. Wooden cabinetry was used to assure a beautiful and comfortable “home” environment. Natural color is found throughout the space in deep green, Heath ceramic tiles behind the open kitchen, in lighting elements, art accents and living plants.
The bar is made from a Douglas Fir that grew and fell in Camp Meeker in Sebastopol, CA. Because the trees grow really fast in wet forests like these the rings are huge and highly distinctive.
Recycled pickle barrels are experiencing a new life as wait stations, the back bar and cabinetry in the open kitchen.
A former 100,000-gallon water tank from Marin County has been turned into tables, counter-faces and the restaurant’s front door. The bleachers from a local high school are now banquettes and tables. The lights over the bar have been crafted out of local, recycled Square One vodka bottles. The exposed piping in the main dining room is thoughtfully laid out to emulate the rays of the sun, exemplifying the commitment to honor the essential elements of life.
Gather truly showcases the meaning of “sustainable” eating.
Chef's Recipe: Braised "Tongue of Fire" Beans
Reservations: OpenTable
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