The chef-owner of one of Oakland’s most acclaimed — and later, embattled — bars is leaving California and handing over operations to a former employee and two up-and-coming chefs.
Snail Bar, a natural wine bar in Temescal known for clever small plates, is losing chef-founder Andres Giraldo Florez to the south of France — specifically, the town of Padern, where he is taking over an inn, according to an Instagram post. Florez is passing on the torch to “OG” employee Sammy Chang, who has been with him since he opened Snail Bar in 2021. Accompanying Chang will be two “culinary legends,” Florez said in the post. Chefs Lucas Dai Pra and Natallie Avitia, who previously worked at the two-Michelin-starred Harbor House Inn, currently operate Petite Percebes, a Mendocino County oyster bar with an eclectic food menu.
“Snail has always been about growth, and I believe these are the next steps in our journey,” Florez wrote in the post. “We are incredibly excited about our new ventures, the future of our establishments and continuing our legacy as we move onwards and upwards.”…