How planners can utilize Michelin Star restaurants to create stellar events
Food, in any capacity, is an experience. It is a source of joy and a catalyst for creating memories that will last a lifetime.
For planners, choosing a caterer or restaurant venue to host their group or event can often make or break the event. If the goal is for your guests to leave with full bellies and happy memories, choosing a venue with the right food offerings is essential.
The caliber of the venue contributes to the overall experience, especially if the restaurant holds a Michelin star or is Michelin-recommended.
Meeting planners who call the San Francisco Bay Area their home base have access to a wide selection of distinguished restaurants, making it the perfect area to explore a rich tapestry of food and beverage venues that could help shape any planner’s event.
Smart Meetings chatted with Michelin-starred and recommended restaurants in San Francisco and Oakland to capture a portrait of a planner’s partnership with them and how they create an outstanding attendee experience.
Mägo Restaurant
In 2024, Oakland, California, was voted the “Best Food City” in the United States according to Conde Nast Traveler’s annual Reader’s Choice Awards. From dim sum to late-night eats, The Town has everything and the kitchen sink—quite literally.
Mägo, a Michelin-recommended restaurant located on Piedmont Street, is the brainchild of Chef Mark Liberman, who was inspired by his Colombian-South American heritage.
“Our food is Colombian-inspired, but with a California twist,” says Liberman. “It’s a personal approach—using local ingredients to honor the essence of the cuisine.”
Read More: Best Food Cities Across the Globe
A personal loss during the Covid pandemic provided Liberman a touchstone in reshaping his relationship with his culinary background; he says, “My dad passed away during Covid, and it made me rethink what was important. It brought me back to my roots and inspired me to explore Colombian cuisine through a personal lens.”
For planners looking to host their event in a restaurant that balances fine dining and approachability, Mägo is definitely a spot worth considering.
“We don’t do the full bells and whistles of fine dining. We focus on hospitality, making sure guests feel at ease while still offering elevated, thoughtful food,” Liberman continues, “Our music is a little louder, our service more relaxed. It’s fine dining but with an Oakland vibe—fun and approachable.”
Mägo has hosted an interesting demographic of events, from corporate buyouts to ugly sweater parties.
“One of the most fun events we’ve hosted was an ugly sweater holiday party,” remembers Liberman. “Guests really embraced the theme—some went all out with over-the-top, festive attire. It was a full buyout of the restaurant, and they used every inch of the space, from the patio to the bar. The energy was infectious, and it reminded us how food and atmosphere can come together to create joy.”
Mägo also offers cooking class events for planners who want to explore some interesting, tasty team-building activities.
Atelier Crenn
Atelier Crenn is a three-star Michelin-starred restaurant in San Francisco owned by Chef Dominique Crenn. It won its first Michelin Star in 2011 and received the second in 2012, making Crenn the first female chef in the United States to receive the honor.
Atelier Crenn’s event coordinator, Rhia Kyjovsky, takes great pride in the accessibility her team provides to event planners.
“[Guests might say], ‘Oh, wow, I get to talk directly to the Chef de Cuisine at this three-Michelin-star restaurant,” says Kyjovsky. “I think accessibility is one of the things that I’m most proud of in our program. I know that’s something really special that guests and planners appreciate that they probably don’t have as much access to in other places.”
Kyjovsky knows that the intricate details are integral to bringing a planner’s vision to life. She says, “We really do tailor it to the needs of each client. We could do it ‘soup to nuts,’ as they say, with having two conversations with a guest. It really is just tailored for each guest and party.”
A little enchantment goes a long way when visiting Atelier Crenn. While you won’t find the menu online, it is a significant part of the experience.
“The menu reads like a poem. Each line of the poem is correlated to the next item on the menu, but you won’t have an actual paper menu that says the next course is crab tartlet,” Kyjovsky explains. “We like to keep the kind of mystery and magic and artistry hidden a little bit, so everything is kind of a surprise.”
Seth Bregman co-owns and co-founded Bardo Lounge and Supper Club with his wife, Jenni Bregman, located in Oakland’s Grand Lake district.
Bregman’s passion for culinary experience and hospitality stems from his time as a bartender for his mother, helping her throw parties in the late ’60s and early ’70s.
“[My mom] had this real taste for design, so she had really nice mid-century modern furniture,” he says. “Everyone had their own really nice glassware and nice sets of china, and they would work on special recipes and just kind of go all out for folks.”
For Bregman, it all comes back to the guest’s perspective. “What’s important to us is the notion of experience: The lighting, music, hospitality and the environment all play a part in creating something special.”
Bregman knows what is required to make an event successful at Bardo, and that involves working closely with planners to realize what is possible.
“I like to have a collaborative process [with planners] so that they get the best out of us. We make planners look good because we know what’s successful in our space.’
For the last four years, Bardo has been listed as a Michelin-recommended restaurant. “We aspire to keep things at a high level while staying casual and not pretentious. We’re happy with our Michelin-recommended status and strive to meet the expectations that come with it.”
Lazy Bear
Lazy Bear, which can be found in San Francisco’s Mission District and holds two Michelin stars, was founded by Chef David Barzelay. The former lawyer took his love for hosting elaborate dinner parties in his apartment to the next level when he began to host them in a secret warehouse location and eventually Lazy Bear’s current location in the Mission District in 2014.
“We don’t take ourselves very seriously, but we take what we do very seriously,” says Colleen Booth, Lazy Bear’s COO. “And I think that often isn’t always the approach to fine dining. We want to be familiar. We want to be comfortable. We really want to welcome you into our home and throw a party.”
Details are everything, especially in the culinary world. Booth’s secret weapon is a Google spreadsheet to keep all the details in order. “I use it for every event prep, for everything,” she says. “And it’s down to the timing of when you load in and load out, when breakdown should happen and if you’re doing an organized toast—what time is that toast, who’s the person speaking?”
Lazy Bear and Booth know that it is important to work with planners to create a memorable experience for their attendees.
“To be able to say to someone, ‘Is there anything I can get you?’ is more than just providing food or drink. It’s about care—it’s about saying, ‘I see you; I acknowledge where you’re at, and I’d like to make it better.’ There’s a simplicity to it, but also a profoundness.”
Booth continues, “Whether it’s a meal in our space or a cup of coffee shared between friends, food creates connections and memories. And that’s our job: to make sure that every guest leaves feeling cared for, having had an experience they’ll never forget.”
This article appears in the January/February 2025 issue. You can subscribe to the magazine here.
