David Nayfeld

Bay Area native David Nayfeld is the Executive Chef and Co-Owner of Back Home Hospitality in San Francisco.  Nayfeld boasts a venerable restaurant pedigree having worked alongside some of the most esteemed names in the industry. After graduating from The Culinary Institute of America, Nayfeld held positions at Nobu Tribecca, Aqua, Joël Robuchon at The Mansion, Cru and Eleven Madison Park.  In 2018, Nayfeld opened his first restaurant, Che Fico, which features Italian cuisine through the lens of California. Che Fico was named one of Bon Appetit's Top 10 Best New Restaurants in America as well as one of Esquire Magazine's Best New Restaurants.  In the fall of 2023, Che Fico Parco Menlo, an evolution of Che Fico created for the Peninsula, opened at Springline, a new 6.4-acre mixed-use development in Menlo Park, California.  Che Fico Pizzeria followed in October of 2024 at Thrive City, the community gathering space surrounding Chase Center. This project marries two of Nayfeld’s lifelong passions: pizza and the Golden State Warriors.  Upcoming projects include Bubbelah, a fast-casual, counter-service restaurant celebrating the rich and diverse flavors of the Jewish diaspora opening in Menlo Park and Via Aurelia, an exploration of Tuscan cuisine located in Visa’s new building developed by Mission Rock Partners, a collaboration between the San Francisco Giants, Tishman Speyer and the Port of San Francisco.  Nayfeld was named Star Chefs 2019 Rising Star Chef and in 2020, received CBS San Francisco’s Jefferson Award for Public Service for his pioneering program called “Family Meal” which helped feed people in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, his advocacy work led to a peer-elected position on the Board of Directors for the Independent Restaurant Coalition (IRC), an organization formed in 2020 to prevent independent restaurants and bars from the devastating impacts of the pandemic.   In 2023, Nayfeld was named a semifinalist for the James Beard Award for Outstanding Chef.   Nayfeld published his first cookbook in May of 2025 with author Joshua David Stein called Dad What's for Dinner?, inspired by his culinary exploration with his daughter, Helena. It is the first book of its kind to speak directly to single fathers -- filled with a mix of recipes, tips, meal planning strategies, and a frank emotional discussion of parenting that is guaranteed to help other caregivers feed their families with joy and ease.