Team American
The Joint Cheese-of-Staff |
| Heidi Gibson, Commander-in-Cheese |
| Heidi is the menu architect and co-owner of THE AMERICAN Grilled Cheese Kitchen. As the winningest Grilled Cheese Invitational contestant in history, Heidi dreamt up the concept of a gourmet grilled cheese restaurant after numerous fans, rival grilled-cheese chefs, sandwich judges, family, and friends encouraged her. Her culinary creativity stems from years as a competitive grilled-cheese chef, and a scientific approach to sandwich making as she also holds bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in engineering from MIT |
Nate Pollak, The Big Cheese |
| Nate is the general manager and co-owner of THE AMERICAN Grilled Cheese Kitchen. After assisting in Heidi’s recent grilled cheese competitions, Nate made it his mission to pair Heidi’s culinary talents with a grilled cheese-deprived world. Nate helped pay his way though UCLA as an economics and classics scholar through multiple foodservice positions. Nate draws on these restaurant experiences as a host, server, and bartender/bar manager to create the inviting atmosphere at THE AMERICAN. |
The Restaurant at One South Park |
The American is located on the ground floor and front patio of One South Park, a San Francisco historical landmark building in one of the city’s most beloved neighborhoods. Originally built as a tobacco warehouse during the early part of the 20th century, today One South Park still maintains elements of its original design including freight-train tracks running through its patio and lobby, and beautiful arched windows letting natural light into The American’s corner location on South Park Ave at 2nd Street. |
Startup Cheeseheads |
The American would not be where it is today without the exceptional team that helped us plan, build and open the restaurant: |
| Ray Tang, operations consultant, restaurateur, CEO of Mad Hog |
| Wylie Price, architect, restaurant design, www.wylieprice.com |
| Alex DeCarville & Tim Schofield, restaurant construction, general contractors, www.alexdecarville.com |
| Dave Le, branding, graphic design director, www.davelecreative.com |
| Drew Bennett, interior art installation, www.iamdrewbennett.com |
| Isaac Ewing III, exterior signage, www.ewingcraft.com |
| Emily K. Rolph, interior signage and art direction, www.emilyrolph.com |
| Liz Seibert, graphic layout and design, www.lizseibert.com |
| Arlette Thibodeau, web development |
| Suzanne O'Kelly, copy editing |
| Jeanne Ormsby , management advisor, CFO of Red, Hot & Blue BBQ |
| all the friends, family and colleagues that gave us their time, their skills & energy, and their support; we can't thank you enough |
