Meet The Chef Leading Downtown San Francisco’s Revival

PHOTOS AND WORDS BY ANDY SAMWICK

I’ve visited chef Joe Hou at The Line Hotel since it opened last year. He runs the kitchens at both Tenderheart on the ground floor and Rise Over Run on the top floor and also plays host at a spectacular rooftop bar. Hou has been working his leadership skills at some of the best restaurants on both coastlines; Per Se was the real game changer, though, NoMad and The Modern are decorated fine dining restaurants under his belt, too. Hou’s pastry game really took off at Per Se and got the attention of his former team at NoMad. He was offered to rejoin NoMad as pastry sous chef. There Hou met Bryan Woolley who is also part of The Line management team and has been an integral part of their success launching in San Francisco. 

Hou is incredibly gracious every time I visit this destination restaurant. I’ve had the opportunity to watch him grow as an executive chef over the last year and change The Line since opening. In October 2023 I spent even more time with Hou both in his hotel kitchens and at private events where he still adds his flair and charm. Hou fried cauliflower, for example, at a product launch party I attended. Hou has this curious personality and on the fly (or fry) he encouraged me to bring him some of the crudité platter to perform some of his  “fryin’ magic.” His approach is so fun and whimsical. I really love Hou’s spirit. 

It makes complete sense he grew up in the same backdrop of New Jersey that has influenced both of us out here on the West Coast. Hou took some time after graduating from college, similar to me, before diving into the hospitality realm. I appreciate his passionate journey and you can really taste his history in his approach.

Also in October, I sat down at the chef’s counter at Tenderheart and just let him do all the decision making for me and my guest. Hou began our adventure with some tasty snack items including another example of how he rocks tempura with these delicious long beans, togarashi, hondashi mayo, and lemon. Then this outstanding shrimp toast came to the table with some gulf shrimp, some citrus elements from the Japanese fruit sudachi, and pluto (part plum and part apricot) jam.   

As a side note, shrimp toast is a captivating dish I’ve been seeing on both sides of the Bay Bridge recently. That lovely milk bread he uses for the shrimp toast is also available as a full mini loaf accompanied with a dried shrimp-piment butter. This was also set down as well as the last of luscious melons of the season in a salad with cucumber, padron peppers, mint oil, and a mustard miso. 

Another common love chef Hou and I share is the delicacies of New York Jewish food and his raw fish section of his menu pays complete tribute to all of those flavors and textures. Surprisingly his salmon accomplishes the complete essence of a “bagel with lox” with a horseradish crème fraîche, some shallot oil, and these crispy curry leaves. It was transcending.

Hou’s move to California proves how much he enjoys the access to incredible produce. He has an entire section of salads and vegetables on the dinner menu at Tenderheart which all matches the amount of main courses he offers. We got to try the ramen pack salad iceberg lettuce, chrysanthemum greens, ramen noodles, crispy veggies along with Hou’s approach to brussels sprouts with his smoked fish sauce, malt vinegar, and hazelnuts.

On the main dishes — categorized as pasta, fish, and meat —  Hou carries over the themes from the veggie dishes. For example, we tried the wagyu beef coulotte slow-cooked top sirloin, sambal, daikon, herbs, and olo rosa lettuce cups to pack in all this full flavor. It was great fun and playful to assemble these ingredients. He continues to be playful with the sweet and sour pork gochujang with pineapple and thinly sliced celery. I was so satisfied, and my guest was, too. 

Hou insisted we close with chocolate cake with dulce popcorn miso buttercream and chocolate ice cream. Again he hit it out of the park with this spectacle of sweetness. I was so honored to be invited again to his table having his hospitality in this time when everyone is crossing their fingers and hoping to stay open for business. 

The days that followed the glorious meal gave me some more insight into just how much being a chef in charge of the entire hotel means to Hou. For Saturday brunch at Rise Over Run I ordered the most vibrant and sinful ube French toast with local bread hero Rize Up’s ube pan loaf, coconut maple syrup, caramelized corn flakes, and whipped cream. On the same rooftop a few days later I saw an example of his hors d’oeuvre at a whiskey event. I’m still waiting for him to bring back Burger Mondays too. Those were some good riffs on the American classic burger styles. I went a few times and tried before they paused it. And I can’t wait for him to make pizza again with the Tenderloin’s parlor Outta Sight, another wonderful collaboration that happened in summer 2023.

Most importantly, I get to know more and more about chef Hou every time we talk. The layers of his climb to this position are well deserved yet he remains humble and modest about the achievement. I am proud of my friend and the chances I get to be entertained with him.

Andy Samwick is a bon vivant who brings decades of food and beverage insight to the table.