Jacob Andrew Brown

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Thanks to the entire Lazy Bear family and all the amazing guests who made it special. Working with y’all was way more fun than I would have ever imagined.

I play a decidedly team sport. Restaurants only work when the entire crew is moving in the same direction. I’m incredibly lucky to work with the amazing humans at Lazy Bear—people who make me look far better than I actually am. Thank you to the James Beard Foundation for recognizing our work in beverage service. This honor is a reflection of an entire team, not just one person. To the Culinary Team: thank you for always buying into beverage programming and pushing me to be better. Without the magic coming out of that kitchen, there’s no wine program—just bottles with no purpose. You make the pairings possible. To my Beverage Team, past and present: I get to work with the best in the business. You inspire me daily. Watching you succeed is the best part of my job. To David & Colleen: thank you for creating a space where hospitality and education go hand in hand—and for letting me be the weirdo that I am. To the Service & Ops Team: you’re the heartbeat. None of the Lazy Bear magic happens without you. And to the other finalists—Cristie, José, Arjav, Cassandra: Congratulations. They are at the top of this field not because of any certification, but because of their relentless pursuit of excellence, their ability to use beverage as a true tool of hospitality, and deep connection to your communities. I look up to each of you. Bonus: Lazy Bear Beverage Team Christmas Photos 2024

Looking back at some shots from our launch 🍾 We believe that the most memorable dinners are those where laughter fills the air, delicious food sparks joy, and new friendships blossom. We launched Neptune to create those moments – to host unforgettable dinner parties. We’re so excited to throw another one, Neptune 2.0, this summer! Stay tuned 🤘🏽

🔱 This is 𝗡𝗘𝗣𝗧𝗨𝗡𝗘—an epic dinner party hosted by a group of friends from multi–Michelin-starred restaurants. The inaugural evening’s menu was a journey through earth and sea, with special wines and great conversation. It was an unforgettable night of creativity, connection, and culinary delight. • 🍊 Dinner opened with a pâte de fruit: a jewel-like triangle of citrus layers, including blood orange, mandarin, and oro blanco. • 🥧 Trout roe and fresh herbs filled a small tartlet, delivering a crisp bite with a briny pop and a bright lift. • 🐔 A chicken skin stroopwafel with chicken liver mousse and wild huckleberry jam was dusted with Douglas fir powder for a grassy accent. • 🐟 Pickled mackerel sat on a nasturtium leaf with Brokaw avocado, sweet peppers, and coriander capers. • 🍟 Warm potato-leek soup infused with vanilla was poured over confit potato balls, evoking “fries and milkshake.” Shaved Périgord truffle gave this nostalgic dish a luxurious twist. • 🦪 Oysters and white asparagus in a buttermilk dressing with oyster liquor and preserved Meyer lemon were adorned with caviar and wild-foraged greens. • 🍄 Beer-yeasted focaccia held a vegetarian tartare of wild chanterelle and black trumpet mushrooms, with raw egg yolk, wild peppercorn, and herbs. • 🥩 Cheddar puff pastry was elevated with Miyazaki A5 wagyu, a roasted beet and wagyu fat emulsion with fried spring onion rings, and wild watercress. • 🌊 Trout was served over sea lettuce with charred white asparagus and a brown butter–fish bone sauce enriched with white wine, sherry, and fines herbes. • 🌾 Creamed Carolina Gold rice was spooned over collard greens with Benton’s country ham, then finished with toasted pecans and yellow flowers. • 🌸 Dessert featured edible magnolia in forms including meringue and candied peel, atop wild pecan shortbread and capped with seaweed-sunchoke caramel foam. • 🙌 Thank you chefs @philsanad @jameslinabary @ianfgordonb for the masterful orchestration, @everythingliquid for the impeccable wine pairings, and @morchellawildfoods for the thoughtfully foraged elements. • 🎥 Reel by @letvivshare • • • • ✔️ Follow @letvivshare and @philyeh for our Bay Area adventures.

Tim and Taylor, Thank you for everything. Thank you for your patience, guidance, and inspiration throughout my journey at Lazy Bear. Thank you for taking the time to teach me how to be good in a restaurant, for sharing techniques, and for answering all of my questions. Thank you for always being down for shenanigans and silliness while operating at a high level. Thank you for buying in. Thank you for creating a culture where wine and beverage were valued as important for the entire team. The dinners we threw, the pairings we created, and the magic we brought to our guests will stay with me. This isn’t a goodbye; it’s a howdy doody later.

🐻 Two-Michelin-starred 𝗟𝗔𝗭𝗬 𝗕𝗘𝗔𝗥 in 𝗦𝗮𝗻 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼 evolved from Chef David Barzelay’s underground dinner parties, previously hosted in clandestine warehouse spaces. • 📝 @MichelinGuide writes that Lazy Bear is now “firmly rooted as part of San Francisco’s dining landscape,” with a menu that showcases “a sweeping creative scope, drawing on both nostalgia and current culinary trends with a confident swagger.” • 🐾 @LazyBearSF recently completed a stunning renovation that “buzzed those long tables into smaller sizes for the dining room — a commitment to leaving those dinner party days behind (for now) to chase better service and hospitality that can only happen with more space.” – @eater_sf • 💎 Recognized as a “Favorite” by @BestRestaurantsGuide , Lazy Bear also holds a Four Diamond Award from AAA, an 88.00 score on @LaListe1000 , and is featured in World’s @50BestDiscovery . • 🍷 Under Beverage Director Jacob Brown (@everythingliquid ), Lazy Bear’s wine program continues to shine, earning a spot in Wine Enthusiast’s Forward 50, a Grand Award (3 Glasses) from @Wine_Spectator , and recognition as a James Beard Foundation finalist for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program. • 🥩 On a recent visit, we enjoyed the intimacy of individual tables, which allowed for more personalized interactions with the servers. The menu was a home run, highlighting all of our favorite main ingredients and enhancing them with innovative finishes. The A5 wagyu ribeye was coal-roasted and paired with ‘Nduja for bold depth, while Bay Scallops were balanced by tart gooseberry and passion fruit. Monterey Bay Black Cod came with sea lettuce and pole beans, and Grilled Squab was complemented by fig and chanterelle—each dish showcasing the creativity running through the entire menu. • 👏 Thank you Chef @Davidbarzelay and the entire team for an unforgettable experience! • 🎥 Reel by @letvivshare • • • • ✔️ Follow @BestRestaurantsGuide for your curated daily dose of awarded restaurants. • ✔️ Follow @letvivshare and @philyeh for (mostly) San Francisco Bay Area culinary adventures. • • • @chef.Tim.Jacob @Colleenbooth @Tayzoller @genono52 @eater

We go together like peas and carrots 🥕 Happy Halloween from your friendly neighborhood Sommelier team! @lazybearsf @officialbubbagump @tomhanks #lifeislikeaboxofchocolates

Thank you @wine_spectator for recognizing Lazy Bear and all of the effort of the team, and all previous Lazy Bears have put in. This is an award for everyone who touched the program it would not have been possible without you. Thank you to the wine growers and winemakers of California for letting us tell your story every day. #hostsofadinnerparty

I am thrilled Caroline Costarella has passed the Advanced Sommelier's Exam, and I couldn't be prouder of her achievement. I am so lucky to have such an amazing partner to run the Lazy Bear Beverage program. Caroline, you are undeniably one of the most dedicated individuals, one of the biggest try-hards, and your passion brings so much joy to Lazy Bear, making it better every single day. I'd also like to extend a heartfelt congratulations to Monica Townsend! Working with you has been an absolute pleasure, and I'm genuinely excited to witness and be a part of your remarkable journey. I can't wait to see where your talents take you. David Hunter,and to everyone else who passed the exam, you are all true rockstars. As we celebrate these accomplishments, I want to remind everyone that a certification does not define you, especially in this industry. It's the passion and effort you put into your work that truly matters. I feel incredibly lucky to be in the orbit of such amazing individuals like you all. @mynamesnotcarol @yogisomm @david_hunter_wine @katelovesgrapes #sommelier @lazybearsf @lazybearwine #iknowthisislate #hospitality @mastersommeliers_americas

Got to spend this last weekend in my spiritual homeland of Santa Barbara County. @bellslosalamos continues to be one of my favorite restaurants that I would make a special trip to any time. Still thinking about the Early Girl Tomato Tart 🤤🤤 Congratulations @anikaks and the UCSB Choir Alumni on an awesome performance! Also if I haven’t told you this before, Ostrich Land USA is worth the stop. #santabarbara

I’m so proud to be a part of this team. It has been an honor to be recognized by the @beardfoundation and to be put in a category with the best in the industry. Beverage programs are not the wine list, the cocktails, or the cellar. It’s the people. It’s all of the work you put in, the hospitality you exude, the culinary team, the importers, the wine makers, the service team and so much more. It is my great joy to work with all of you and I am excited to continue to push the envelope with y’all. #befastbeaccurate #jamesbeard #wine #hospitality #sfeats #sfdrinks @eater_sf @sfchronicle @lazybearsf #sommelier