San Francisco is lucky to have a chef like Mourad Lahlou, founder of Moroccan-inspired Mourad (mouradsf.com). Not only is the Michelin-starred chef always finding new ways to wow guests, but he also cherishes feeding people and passing along what he’s learned to his staff. “I love the San Francisco food scene because it’s rich, courageous, and ever-changing without losing sight of its foundation,” he says. “We’re blessed to have wonderful institutions like Zuni Cafe and La Taqueria. So many chefs here keep reinventing and reshaping our culinary landscape.”

Lahlou, who credits international chefs like Victor Arguinzoniz (Spain) and Takashi Saito (Japan) as his biggest influences, says his Moroccan-inspired cooking is simply a way to retell his childhood stories through a Bay Area lens. “I cook what I grew up eating, but with a local perspective and a modern approach,” he says. How would he impress a guest right now? “I would share a bowl of steamed hand-rolled couscous tossed with brown butter. I’d also prepare the slow-cooked short-rib tangia, which takes three days of continuous cooking—it’s truly a labor of love. I’d also make our steamed mussels with Moroccan-spiced butter and a chunk of grilled crusty bread. Another great dish is the anchovies with pounded tomatoes and grassy olive oil. And, of course, a bowl of warm puffs with spiced honey. I could die now.”

We could too. And we’d be the happiest people in the state of California.