The Patio Group Announces New Culinary Director & Seafood Program

Local hospitality brand The Patio Group, which just launched Liberty Station's Fireside by The Patio and reportedly has several other new restaurants in the pipeline, including an Asian-inspired concept in Mission Beach and a yet-unnamed project in the East Village, has named a new culinary director to help lead the group after parting ways with its corporate executive chef earlier this year.

Jason Hotchkiss, who relocated from Los Angeles in 2014 to serve as corporate chef of Whisknladle Hospitality (Catania, Prepkitchen), also filled the same position for the Cohn Restaurant Group before joining The Patio Group. Among his efforts will be to implement a sustainable seafood program across all their restaurant holdings by buying fish directly from local hook-and-line fishermen to incorporate into each menu.

The seafood will be distributed from Saska's Steak & Seafood, which The Patio Group took over last summer. A new fish counter has been installed at the restaurant to allow for retail sales and the product will be introduced via fresh, modern seafood dishes. Starting this fall, The Patio Group says that it will be making more updates to Saska’s as well as completely renovating the adjacent High Tide sushi concept.