Creativity is interesting because it contains no boundaries or rules. Instead, it thrives on curiosity, intuition, and perspective, and gives those that posses a creative mind the opportunity to provide a memorable experience for others, and walk away with something to think about. Often, that means walking the fine line of pursuing perfection while, at the same time, remaining a student of your environment and being realistic about the resources you have to work with.

Our Chef Portrait Series is a look into the creative process of chefs that excel in both passion and expertise. It is an opportunity to highlight their craft and to hear their philosophy in order to gain a proper perspective about the food we consume.

For our first Chef Portrait, we sat down with Chef Thomas McNaughton, the executive chef of the well-respected Flour+Water restaurant in San Francisco, CA. Before Flour+Water, he studied in France, Germany, and Italy, working at Michelin-starred restaurants. He also apprenticed in Bologna, Italy where his pasta making skills were further refined.

While Flour+Water presents itself as a humble environment, their food is endlessly talked about and getting a chance to sit at their table will require patience. They grow many of their vegetables, raise a pig upstairs, and are well-known for their dough making skills.

Our time with Chef Thomas and the gracious staff of Flour+Water was definitely a treat. With a camera on hand, we were able to capture but a snippet of the mind of this chef.