Michael Tusk ’89 and his wife, Lindsay, are the owners of three of San Francisco’s most acclaimed restaurants: Quince, Cotogna, and Verjus.
A native of New Jersey, Tusk graduated from Tulane University with a degree in Art History before studying at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. After graduating, Tusk decamped to Europe where he worked in Michelin-starred kitchens in France and Northern Italy.
Tusk eventually settled in the San Francisco Bay Area where he worked at some of the country’s most pioneering and influential restaurants. In 2003, the Tusks opened Quince, and the restaurant quickly became one of San Francisco’s top fine-dining destinations. After relocating in 2009, Quince was awarded four stars by the San Francisco Chronicle and three stars and a green star from the Michelin Guide and is a distinguished member of Relais & Châteaux.
In 2010, the Tusks opened rustic Italian restaurant, Cotogna. In 2018, they opened the wine bar Verjus, which was recognized by Bon Appétit as one of the best new restaurants in the country and nominated for the James Beard award for Best New Restaurant.
The James Beard Foundation has recognized Tusk’s contributions to the industry and named him Best Chef: Pacific in 2011.
In 2020, the Tusks founded Feed the Future, a non-profit organization to support their restaurant teams and local farmers.
Chef Michael Tusk majored in Culinary Arts at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. He is a member of the inaugural class of CIA’s Alumni Hall of Fame.