Concept
Credo is the Latin word for “I believe.” We believe that good food and good company go hand-in-hand. We believe in the time-honored tradition of the dinner table debate and the value of impassioned points of view. We believe in authentic ingredients, creative preparation and gracious hospitality.
Diners seated in the main dining room are surrounded by 15 gigantic, soaring art panels displaying a dizzying array of quotations beginning with the words “I believe.” Each panel is an assemblage of comment and commentary built on found ideas, from the inspired to the absurd, the sacred and profane, on topics ranging from race to sex to war. Nothing is off limits.
In all, they contain more than 42,000 letters, 10,000 words, over 600 quotations, by some 575 people of varying degrees of fame or infamy.
“It celebrates the juxtaposition of disparate viewpoints,” said Frank Holland, who assembled the quotations and directed the design and production of the one-of-a-kind displays. “Through the deliberate use of proximity, dimension, color and irony, we’ve achieved a third layer of meaning found in the space between the ideas.”
In an indirect way, Credo celebrates the time-honored tradition of the dinner table argument – that venerated off-the-cuff verbal slugfest punctuated by interjections of gastronomic delight. Nothing enhances a great meal like an exciting conversation, and our walls will get the discussion rolling.
Our chef, Larry Finn, creates an Italian influenced menu from seasonal ingredients. Fresh, local, sustainable, original are all words that resonate with us. Foraged mushrooms from Connie Green, asparagus from Zuckerman’s Farm, and tomatoes from Ed George all contribute to make our menu unique. By supporting our local farmers and purveyors, Chef Larry can give back to our thriving ecosystem. That’s not to say we won’t travel far for something truly special. Spanish octopus, Kauai blue prawns and French white asparagus all find their way onto our eclectic menu.
The Credo Team
LARRY FINN
CHEF
Chef Larry is constantly inspired by seasonal ingredients and is passionate about supporting our local farmers and purveyors. His star-studded culinary career has included extended stops at legendary establishments such as Campton Place in San Francisco, and Lespinasse, Café Gray, Morimoto and Union Square Café in New York City. After many years on the east coast, Larry, along with his wife and two children, made the trek out to California where he assumed the helm at Scala’s Bistro and Kimpton’s Sir Francis Drake Hotel, before bringing his considerable talent to Credo. Larry holds a B.S. degree in Food Service Management from Johnson & Wales.
LARRY FINN
CHEF
BRANDON HEIST
GENERAL MANAGER
Brandon started working in restaurants when he was 16, busing tables and washing dishes in the East Bay where he grew up. After spending time in the kitchen, cooking at the 3 michelin starred Restaurant at Meadowood in St. Helena and Prima in Walnut Creek, he left the back of house and moved to Southern California to train under Master Sommelier Steven Poe at Big Canyon Country Club in Newport Beach. After becoming a Certified Sommelier, Brandon was promoted into management and oversaw the club’s three restaurants. After many years in Southern California, he returned to the Bay Area to work at The Olympic Club in San Francisco before joining the team here at Credo. He lives in the East Bay with his wife, Emily, and yellow labrador, Murphy.
BRANDON HEIST
GENERAL MANAGER
JEREMY WONG
ASSISSTANT GENERAL MANAGER
Jeremy was born and raised in San Francisco, attending Lincoln High before moving to Southern California to attend the Collins College of Hospitality Management at Cal Poly Pomona. After returning to the Bay Area, he managed the front of house at E & O Kitchen and Bar, later linking up with Brandon to oversee the food & beverage outlets at The Olympic Club. Jeremy's many passions include traveling, photography, running, and exploring the endless outdoors.
JEREMY WONG
ASSISSTANT GENERAL MANAGER
VICTOR PATLAN
SOUS CHEF
Victor’s love for cooking started at a young age, grilling Sunday dinners in his backyard for family. At the age of 23, Victor enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu, San Francisco. Following graduation, he launched his career at a series of boutique hotels, including The Clift. From there, his love for local ingredients and the farm to table concept brought him to Wente Vineyards in Livermore Valley. After embarking on a new start, Victor took his culinary skills to Another Planet Entertainment where he travelled around the Bay Area’s premier music venues as well as Tahoe’s, producing A-list artists and crews’ culinary wishes. Who doesn’t want to cook for Lady Gaga, Van Morrison and Victor’s personal favorite Robert Plant! Victor’s passion for the kitchen and love for a fast paced environment lead him to his current position at Credo. In his free time, Victor enjoys spending time with family and friends, mountain biking, working on his classic car and giving back to his community by supporting a healthy food system for CUESA.
VICTOR PATLAN
SOUS CHEF
ADAM RYON
EVENT SALES MANAGER
Adam is a Bay Area native who has recently returned to the inviting climes of San Francisco. He boasts a wealth of experience with companies like Jack Threads and Dwell Studio, and has conquered both New York City and Abu Dhabi in his travels. Adam oversees private dining and catering at Credo, while also selling event space at our sister venues, the Julia Morgan Ballroom and Merchants Exchange Club. Whether it's a small, intimate dinner or a full restaurant buyout for hundreds of people, Adam can help turn your dream event into a reality.
ADAM RYON
EVENT SALES MANAGER
IAN SILVA
BEVERAGE DIRECTOR
Ian is nothing if not cosmopolitan. Peruvian-Italian by way of the Bay Area and conversant in six languages, Ian is also charging toward his Advanced Sommelier certification, which puts him in rare air. Ian worked hard to build the beverage program and brought home an Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator in July of 2019. Part of the Credo & Merchants Exchange Productions family since 2010, Ian is a fan of sports, classic cars, his wife Gabriela and their dog Stewei (not in that order).
IAN SILVA
BEVERAGE DIRECTOR
CHRISTOPHER AHR
PASTRY CHEF
Born in Savannah, Georgia and having trained in the finest restaurants of the East Bay, Chris boasts a portfolio of large-scale event experience as broad as his own shoulders (which are super broad). He has been part of the SF Bay Area dining scene since 1999, including stays at Stanford University and Kimpton hotels.
CHRISTOPHER AHR
PASTRY CHEF
CHRISTOPHER BLACK
SERVICE MANAGER
Christopher was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, where he started his hospitality career working as a food runner and server in a French cafe during college. He moved to New York and Los Angeles before settling in the San Francisco Bay Area, furthering his experience as a server and banquet captain at E&O Kitchen and Bar in San Francisco. He was soon promoted to Floor Manager at E&O, where he studied to become a Cicerone while running their beer program. He continued his experience at Oakland's Camino, cultivating his love of organic ingredients and fine dining before moving on to focus on beer at Ale Industries in Oakland.
CHRISTOPHER BLACK
SERVICE MANAGER
ANTONIO LEZAMA
EVENT PRODUCTIONS MANAGER
Antonio’s career in hospitality began at San Francisco's renowned Zuni Cafe where he started as a busser and bar back, supplementing his then-acting and dancing career. The attention to quality, novelty, and service there influenced his perception about what a guest experience could be. Antonio now utilizes his creativity and 15+ years of experience to plan and execute private events at Credo. He also produces events at our sister venues, the Merchants Exchange Club and Julia Morgan Ballroom. Antonio absolutely loves living in San Francisco. Some of his favorite destinations include beaches, dance floors, and panaderias.
