Menu * Contact Info

Dominic Ainza

About Chef: DOMINIC AINZA

“I’m just a cook,” Chef Dominic Ainza simplifies, but behind his humility is an intensely creative passion for food and a strong ambition to elevate the cuisine that is closest to his heart.

What sets Chef Dominic apart is experience, accolade and vision. As a graduate with honors at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, he is classically trained in French techniques. Prior to opening mercury appetizer bar in the Marina, now mercury lounge in the SOMA, Chef Dominic has been a force behind numerous award winning kitchens.  After graduating from CCA, he joined the kitchen of Betelnut, in San Francisco (a top 100 restaurant). He worked closely with Executive Chef Alex Ong and sous chef Daniel Sudar and deepened his understanding of the pan-asian cuisine and working a high volume restaurant kitchen.  He then took a position as opening sous chef for Poleng Lounge in San Francisco w/ Executive Chef Tim Lum.  Poleng Lounge, a contemporary Pan-Asian restaurant with strong Filipino influence earned 3 stars from the SF chronicle, as a Top 100 Restaurant in their first year of operation. “Dom has been a huge influence on me,” says Chef Tim.

He then moved on to become opening Sous Chef at Red Lantern in Redwood City, a recommended restaurant in the Michelin Guide. There, he reunited with Daniel Sudar, now Executive Chef of Red Lantern. 

Chef Dominic’s cuisine doesn’t just represent tradition, just as his cultural background is a colorful quilt, his cuisine is intricately woven with the best of the Bay Area’s culinary cultures that should be enjoyed by people from all backgrounds. 

Brian Kimball

About: BRIAN KIMBALL

In the spring of 2009 on a back alley in the Mission District of San Francisco a renegade street food cart was born sparking a chain reaction that led to a revival of mobile food in the Bay Area. Armed with smart phones and motivated by a tough economy; the Magic Curry Kart and a handful of entrepreneur mobile food vendors took to the streets serving up delicious food while at the same time spreading the word through digital "word of mouth". A city known for being tech savvy and zealous for delicious food welcomed this new trend with open arms. Two years later and Street Food is a main stream food option in the Bay Area! There are now carts, trucks, festivals, underground markets and all kinds of developing food businesses.

In the summer of 2010 the Magic Curry Kart started a new venture of offering Magic Curry Kart products for Whole Foods Market. Magic Curry Paste (red & green) as well as Magic Chili Sauce (red & green) are now available at all Whole Food Markets in San Francisco with plans to spread through the bay area. Stay tuned for what's next for the Magic Curry Kart by following on Twitter, Facebook, or checking back on the website.