Win new fans with Experiences collabs that get guests excited

Born from the team behind State Bird Provisions and The Progress, The Anchovy Bar stands out for its focus on West Coast seafood, from its namesake anchovies to oysters. Chef and owner duo Nicole Krasinski and Stuart Brioza opened the restaurant in October 2020 in the same neighborhood as the other two restaurants. We caught up with Rumpasri Chicharoen, General Manager of The Anchovy Bar, to hear about their unique experiences and partner collaborations.

What was the vision for The Anchovy Bar?

The Anchovy Bar at its core is a fun, fast-paced restaurant with a focus on sustainable seafood and handmade ingredients. Whether it’s working with Hog Island Oyster Company or our biodynamic farm, everything we do is a testament to the small producers we have relationships with. They favor traditional and antique processes with origin stories that matter and inspire, such as anchovies from Cantabria and L’Escala, Spain and the Amalfi Coast in Italy …sea salts from centuries old salt beds in Sicily…soy and fish sauces produced in the old-world style…essentially ingredients with a strong sense of place, including those from our own ‘backyard’. Ultimately, we want guests to have a unique experience that they can’t find anywhere else.

Speaking of unique experiences, tell me a little bit about how you approach them, and in particular the cookbook event you hosted with Renee Erickson.

In the past, we have hosted cookbook launches and collaboration dinners at our sister restaurants, State Bird Provisions and The Progress. We hope to continue that tradition at The Anchovy Bar with a focus on seafood-driven dinners and breweries and wineries we work with.

When we invite chefs to the restaurants, we’re particular about how to make the experience great for the guests and the chef. Renee Erickson joined us for an evening at The Anchovy Bar and we changed our entire menu based on inspiration from her latest cookbook, The Getaway. The prepaid experience included a cookbook and an Anchovy Bar tote bag. Upon arrival, guests ordered a la carte off of the special menu for the evening.