Established San Francisco Chef Reinvents Dining Experience at the Marriott Fisherman's Wharf

Award-winning Chef Comforti debuts his classic-yet-punchy Italian Seafood delights

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. October 14, 2008

SAN FRANCISOC, CA, September 14, 2005. One of San Francisco's most popular hotels, the Marriott Fisherman's Wharf, has given its dinner menu a facelift by bringing on board one of the city's experts in seafood cuisine.

Daniel Comforti, a longtime San Francisco chef and graduate of the famed Culinary Institute, has been appointed Executive Chef of Spada II, the hotel's signature restaurant. He is introducing his version of classic Italian seafood dishes, including his famous cioppino, a brothy concoction of seven fresh cuts of seafood that has won several culinary awards in the city throughout the years and will be the restaurant's house specialty. Comforti creates the cioppino and his other dishes using the freshest cuts of seafood from local vendors, with which he has long-established relationships.

Prior to joining the Marriott Fisherman's Wharf, Comforti held other executive chef positions in the Bay Area, including serving as the founding chef for Dante's Sea Catch and Pier Market restaurants at the world-famous Pier 39, and as head chef at a Four Seasons Resort in the Bay Area. He was part of the founding team at Chevy's, the restaurant company responsible for introducing fresh Tex-Mex to the Bay Area. He also operated his own wholesale seafood business for nine years, building a reputation among the Wharf locals as an expert in seafood selection.

The new Spada II menu debuts on September 14, 2005. It consists of several Italian seafood specialties, including stuffed lobster tails, seafood cannelloni, prawns Venice, linguini & clams viariggio and a daily fresh fish specialty. Comforti is also offering Italian-inspired meat-lover dishes such as Captain's Steak (filet mignon stuffed with Dungeness crab and wrapped in bacon), Tuscan pork chops and chicken Saltimbocca Romano.

The restaurant will also offer classic starters such as lobster or crab cocktail, Caesar salad, antipasto, asparagus salad and endive salad with watercress, pear and gorgonzola, plus desserts that including a tempting bread pudding and fresh strawberry zabione. Many of the menu items are low in carbohydrates, giving health-conscious diners options for a scrumptious dining experience that won't blow their carb budgets.

"For so long, visitors to the Wharf - and even nearby locals - have had limited number of choices for a wonderfully prepared dinner without an exorbitant price," said Devon Kessler, Director of Sales and Marketing. "Daniel's 25 years of expertise in creating seafood dishes, along with his expertise in selecting the freshest and finest cuts of seafood, make him a refreshing welcome to our staff and to the dining experience in our area."

The Marriott Fisherman's Wharf offers an excellent wine selection, hosts a wine tasting event each Wednesday for guests, and highlights a California winemaker each month. Past and upcoming featured winemakers include La Crema, Louis Martini, and Trefethen.