New Chef Ready For Holidays At Larkspur's Yankee Pier

Yankee Pier in Larkspur was looking for a new head chef, but the owners didn't cast an eye too far away. Henry Moreno, a Bay Area native, has been promoted from sous chef to head chef at the popular Magnolia Avenue restaurant.

Moreno replaces former head chef August Schumann, who left Yankee Pier in September to take over operations at San Francisco's Woodhouse Fish Company, with restaurants on Market Street and Fillmore.

Moreno and his team have an interesting challenge coming up with the Thanksgiving holiday. Yankee Pier will be feature a three-course prix fixe menu with a choice of turkey, whole Maine lobster, flatiron steak or fish — with traditional holiday side dishes, all for $45.

Moreno grew up in San Francisco for the first 12 years of his life until his family moved to Petaluma. His parents always encouraged young Henry to pursue his passion for the culinary arts.

An honors graduate from the Culinary Arts program at Santa Rosa Junior College, Moreno has worked as sous chef at Nick’s Cove and Cottages in Marshall, chef de partie at Healdsburg’s Dry Creek Kitchen, and sous chef at San Francisco’s Market Bar.

After a stint exploring and tasting his way around Europe, Moreno came home to the Bay Area as Yankee Pier's sous chef.

“From culinary school, to restaurants, to my overseas travels, everything I do as a chef is an education,” Moreno said. “I knew that I wanted to be a part of Lark Creek Restaurant Group because of its reputation for excellent food; I couldn’t think of a better place to continue progressing and honing my craft.”

With his promotion to chef, Moreno continues to do what he loves. “The best part of my job is being able to connect with people through my food,” he says.

So pull up a bar seat near the kitchen and talk to Moreno about his favorite topics: food, the San Francisco Giants and music. If he has time, he might even pull out his bass guitar for a quick jam session on the deck.

Where else can you go for a Thanksgiving meal? Here are a few choices, but if you know of other restaurants or stores, add them in the comments section below.

• The Tavern At Lark Creek: Chef Aaron Wright offers a four-course menu ($65 per person, $29 for children under 12) starting off with a Harvest Relish Sampler with pickled vegetables, local cheese, marinated olives, and turkey liver pate. Hours: 5:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. Phone: (415) 924-7766.

• Paradise Foods: The deli section is offering a dinner package for 8-10 people ($149.99), or order the main course and all the trimmings a la carte. Order by Monday, Nov. 19. Phone: (415) 945-8855.

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