Hakkasan San Francisco, a new addition to the city’s vibrant luxury dining scene opening in November 2012, is pleased to announce the appointment of Amgad Wahba as general manager of Hakkasan San Francisco, where he will oversee day-to-day operations. Wahba, who has lived and worked in the Bay Area since 1996, joins Hakkasan with more than 25 years of experience in the fine dining and luxury hospitality industries. Hakkasan, offering modern Cantonese cuisine including dim sum, extensive wine and sake programs, late-night dining, and the Ling Ling lounge, will open downtown under the auspices of Chef Ho Chee Boon.
“We are thrilled to welcome Amgad to the Hakkasan team. His impressive background and established history in San Francisco will serve as incredible assets as we launch our first West Coast venture,” said Richard Toshio Miyashiro, West Coast new projects operations director of Hakkasan. “We are eager to begin leveraging Amgad’s extensive experience in some of the most renowned hotel and restaurant establishments in the Bay Area and beyond in addition to his evident passion for food and wine.”
Situated on the second floor of the iconic One Kearny building, the 170-cover restaurant will boast a main dining area affording guests a view of bustling Market and Geary streets through soaring arched windows, punctuated by latticed “cages” for a sense of privacy. Hakkasan will also feature a 25-seat V-shaped bar, two private dining rooms, and a 50-seat Ling Ling lounge, a signature feature of Hakkasan, reflecting the old-school decadence of Chinoiserie.
“I am honored and delighted with the opportunity to manage Hakkasan San Francisco, the city’s newest, must-visit dining destination,” said Wahba. “Having worked in some of San Francisco’s finest establishments, I look forward to helping bring this unique concept to life as it will undoubtedly be a terrific enhancement to our city’s fine dining scene.”
With a career spanning nearly three decades in the hospitality industry, Wahba’s noteworthy credentials include tenures with numerous five-star hotels and restaurants in New York, San Francisco, Pebble Beach, and Napa Valley. Most recently, Wahba served as general manager of The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco for six years and oversaw the restaurant’s transition to Parallel 37.
Previously, Wahba held a number of high-ranking positions at various luxury resorts, including general manager of Stillwater Bar & Grill at The Lodge at Pebble Beach, director of restaurants at the Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, and dining room manager at Meadowood Napa Valley, where he successfully ran three Auction Napa Valley events and managed the resort’s three-star fine dining room, The Restaurant at Meadowood. Wahba also launched Julia’s Kitchen, named after Julia Child, the fine dining room at COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts in Napa Valley, as well as served as general manager and sommelier of top-rated restaurant Sushi Ran in Sausalito, Calif. Wahba jumpstarted his career as general manager of the award-winning Felidia Restaurant in New York City before venturing west to San Francisco, where he joined acclaimed Chef Michael Mina at AQUA and CHARLES NOB HILL.
Born and raised in Egypt, Wahba graduated from The Hotel School in Alexandria. He is also a certified sommelier and holds the highest certificate from the International Wine Center in New York City.
Hakkasan will be open daily from 11:30 a.m. for lunch and 5:30 p.m. for dinner with last dinner orders taken at 11:30 p.m. The main entrance of the restaurant will be conveniently located on the corner of Kearny and Market streets, and guests will benefit from a private entrance, as well as valet parking on Geary Street.
