Parke Ulrich attributes his life-long interest in cooking and food to his childhood spent on the shores of New Jersey, an inspiration that has brought him to the position of executive chef at two of San Francisco’s most desirable dining destinations, Waterbar and EPIC Steak.

As a vocal advocate of sustainability sourced seafood and fresh, local, organically-grown produce, the Philadelphia native’s passion for excellence remains the guiding force as the executive chef behind Waterbar and EPIC Steak’s daily-changing menus, bringing an even greater awareness of sustainability to the respective restaurants staffs and guests alike.

In 2014, Ulrich was asked to become the executive chef of Waterbar’s sister restaurant, EPIC Steak, located directly across the piazza, only a few steps away. He took the challenge of heading both restaurants as executive chef. Both restaurants now thrive with a combined revenue exceeding $26 million per annum.

Prior to his role at the helm of Waterbar, Ulrich first collaborated with Chef/Owner Mark Franz as part of the opening team of world renowned San Francisco restaurant Farallon. During Ulrich’s ten-year tenure, seven of which he served as executive chef, Farallon consistently appeared on the San Francisco Chronicle’s Top 100 Restaurant list and Zagat Guide’s Top Ten Most Popular Restaurants. Ulrich’s affinity for seafood as well as his parallel thinking and similar philosophies to Franz regarding cuisine were richly cultivated at Farallon. Ulrich and Franz have proven to

be a formidable pairing, as part of the opening team for the critically acclaimed Nick’s Cove Restaurant in Tomales Bay, California.

Ulrich was first introduced to the Bay Area’s focus on seasonal cooking and the bounty of fresh, local ingredients available in Northern California when he accepted a position at the Lark Creek Inn in Larkspur, California. Ulrich rose through the ranks at Lark Creek Inn to the position of executive chef before he met Franz and made the eventual move to Farallon in 1997.

Before moving to Northern California, Ulrich learned the importance of quality ingredients and the unstinting pursuit of excellence in the classic French kitchen of 5-star restaurant Le Bec Fin in Philadelphia.

A graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University, Ulrich’s professional culinary career began in 1989 in Aspen. He spent three years at the Hotel Jerome, where he was quickly promoted to lead line cook. He eventually left Aspen and the Hotel Jerome to attend the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, where he graduated first in his class.

MeeSun is an energetic, self-motivated, results-oriented sales professional with solid credentials in revenue generation, new business development, and strong customer relationship management. She has a strong network of relationships spanning across multiple business verticals (Technology, Financial, Telecom and Enterprises). She has maintained her entrepreneurial spirit through utilizing her professional skills and business acumen to positively affect company growth.

MeeSun is a lover of all things food and possesses the ability to gather friends, families, and communities. She transcends this love through the use of social media platforms for EPIC Steak. Her presence has since boosted revenue and a loyal following for the restaurant consisting of locals, tourists, and celebrities.

MeeSun Boice’s over 25-year career spans a broad range of industries - Financial Institutions (UBS Wealth Management), telecommunication companies (Fiber Optic Network Solutions-FONS), Natural Language Technology/Artificial Intelligence (Inbenta Technologies) and founder of her own independent manufacturing rep company (FCP Associates).

At the core, she is an entrepreneur at heart, and has invested in multiple companies over the span of her business career. While maintaining a full-time position in various companies, MeeSun has also invested in companies such as FCP Associates, Desksite, Lightt (now called Mitu), Inbenta and Protonet.

In Mersea, she has found the perfect opportunity to invest her passion and love of food with her proven track-record and ability to increase revenue through her sales and marketing acumen. She has proven to be a business, sales and marketing compliment to Parke Ulrich’s culinary skills and successful restaurant track record.

Justin Baade unknowingly started his culinary journey as a child in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was often tasked with helping his mother in the family garden and assisting her in the kitchen. His mother instilled in him a deep appreciation for hand crafted recipes and locally sourced foods that would later form the basis of his culinary identity.

As is often the case, as he grew into a teenager, other interests such as music, reading, sports, skateboarding, and snowboarding took front and center. At 15 years old, he took a job at a local pizza parlor near his high school to earn money for his first car. Little did he know at the time that this step would soon spark that same sense of awe and wonder he experienced as a young boy at his mother’s side, making dinner with the same ingredients they had pulled from the garden.

As he worked his way through all the positions in the pizza restaurant from dishwasher to lead pizza cook, he learned the skill sets and work ethic that gave him the tools required for restaurant work, so that when the opportunity to work at the local favorite Scalo Northern Italian Grill came, he was ready. Here, Justin learned an appreciation for fresh handmade pasta, Italian culinary sensibility, but most importantly, his love of cooking over live fire in the wood-fired oven at Scalo.

Enrolled in the University of New Mexico with the intention of earning a degree in chemistry, he found himself waiting all day to go to work at night and return to the kitchen. He decided to follow his passion and leave college along with his best friend and travel to New England Culinary Institute in Mont Pelier, Vermont. At NECI, he was submersed in local farmers markets and the wilderness of the Green Mountains for 2 years as he earned his associate degree in culinary arts and graduated at the top of his class.

After externships at the Rainier Club in Seattle and then Zinc Bistro, he took a line cook position at renowned Portland restaurant Wildwood working for James Beard award-winning Chef Cory Schreiber. The talent filled kitchen at Wildwood centered its food around cooking in a live fire tandoori oven which grabbed and held Justin’s attention for nearly 5 years as the ultra-local menu changed almost daily. It was an environment that allowed him to grow and evolve along with the restaurant.

In 2005 he moved to the Bay Area and took a position under Chef Parke Ulrich at the San Francisco hot spot Farallon where he found a home and mentor under Chef Ulrich, and again found himself drawn to the live fire Josper style grill at Farallon. Justin was promoted to sous chef after just 5 short months and after only 3 years was asked by Chef Ulrich to join him in opening Waterbar. He jumped at the opportunity to work in this hyper sustainable, seafood focused concept alongside Chef Ulrich. Justin would then helm Waterbar as chef de cuisine for the next 15 years, before partnering with Chef Ulrich, MeeSun Boice and Erick Cadena to open Hurrica restaurant at Westpoint Harbor in Redwood City, California.

As Executive Chef & Partner of Hurrica, Justin had the opportunity to design the kitchen from the ground up and knew he wanted to embrace his passion for cooking over open fire, local foods, and connection with the community of artisans, farmers, fishermen and ranchers. He continues to write his culinary story centered around the wood fired hearth at Hurrica where he focuses on creating a space that is both elegant and comfortable, serving food that is soulful, playful and of course delicious.

Justin currently resides in Oakland, California with his partner and their two children whom you can often see visiting him at Hurrica.

California native Erick Cadena fell in love with the wine & service industry in his own backyard of Paso Robles, Ca. In 2009, Erick became certified through the Court of Master Sommeliers. He started his wine studies through the WSET(Wine & Spirits Education Trust) but was steered to the Court by his friend and Master Sommelier Anthony Anselmi. With 25 years of hospitality, and through his extensive wine travels abroad, he brings a savvy passion and a true understanding to the wine game.

As GM of the seminal Paso Robles restaurant/winery Villa Creek for ten years, he moved to San Francisco to join the Boulevard Sommelier team. Erick's energy and service was an integral part of the BLVD program for a decade. Most recently, he was the Hospitality & Wine Director at Villa Taverna, one of San Francisco’s premier private clubs.

Erick has a talent and passion to educate through wine. He truly has a skillset that people gravitate towards as he makes wine non-pretentious and approachable, as he says, "At the end of the day, it's just spoiled grape juice!". His 25 years in hospitality will be an asset to the Hurrica community for which he is eager to be a part of, and grow here in the Westpoint Harbor.