Octavia is the second restaurant from award-winning chef, Melissa Perello. Beautifully defined flavors and seasonally driven cuisine are the cornerstones of Octavia's menu- all in an elegant yet relaxed neighborhood setting. 

MELISSA PERELLO, CHEF OWNER Melissa Perello's daily evolving selections spotlight her commitment to sustainability and the Bay Area's wealth of agricultural resources. Combined with her natural ability in the kitchen, the result is simple and expertly crafted dishes that reflect her fine-dining pedigree and down-to-earth personality.

Named after the restaurant's location, Octavia is an ode to refined but comfortable sensibilities in both food and decor. A seamless blend of original history and modern elegance, Octavia's natural light-soaked, open floor plan evokes a refined dining experience with a unique sense of home comfort. An open kitchen, which faces the dining room, highlights the original framework and masonry of the building's 19th century roots. 

Whether it’s the elevated, yet accessible approach to food, or the open, familiar atmosphere and stellar service, Octavia is about sharing great food in good company. This honest, focused approach has resonated with customers and critics alike. 

NICO PENA, EXECUTIVE CHEF Originally from Moreno Valley, California, Chef de Cuisine Nico Pena has spent his culinary career mastering California cuisine in prominent Bay Area kitchens. Most recently at the helm of Tartine Manufactory in San Francisco, Nico’s menu at Octavia is a reflection of time spent fusing old world simplicity and modern techniques.

As the former purchasing chef for acclaimed restaurants Quince, Cotogna, and Verjus, Chef Pena has cultivated long-lasting relationships with local farmers and ranchers, perpetually showcasing their work in his menus. With influence from his time working in the kitchens of San Francisco and Europe, Nico's fine dining pedigree balances his passion for whole animal cooking and rustic Italian food sensibility.

IRIS ROWLEE, WINE DIRECTOR
A perpetual student and avid traveler, Iris's quest for wine education led her across the Americas, Europe, Southeast Asia, India and Australia, embracing the terrains and their tenants through local viniculture.

Prior to helming the wine programs at Frances and Octavia, Iris's aptitude for the finer points of wine first blossomed while managing Francis Ford Coppola’s historic Cafe Zoetrope. She's also overseen the wine programs at Cotogna, Perbacco, and A16, which received the James Beard award for Best Wine Program in the Nation in 2015, while Rowlee was acting Sommelier.

Iris is a Court of Masters certified Sommelier, a Vinitaly International Academy Italian Wine Ambassador, and a 3iC Certified Educator. Since 2019 she has served as the elected West Coast Ambassador for Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG, and has been a participant in the Barolo based Collisioni Wine Education Board with Dr. Ian d’Agata and is a Knight of the Ordine dei Cavalieri del Tartufo e dei Vini di Alba.

Accolades aside, Iris cites continuing education as the key to growth and takes joy in sharing her favorite wines and telling their stories through her wine list.

SHEENA GEBHARDT, DIRECTOR OF SERVICE Sheena Gebhardt arrives with a distinguished background, formerly the Service Director at Happy Cooking Hospitality in NYC (Jeffrey's Grocery, Joseph Leonard, Fairfax and Jolene).

Her professional journey has taken her across the US in the past decade, working in restaurants in New York, Chicago, Austin, and Richmond, VA, a testament to her diverse expertise in the service industry.

Beyond her impressive career, Sheena is an avid traveler, venturing on immersive backpacking excursions through Vietnam, Thailand, and the Yucatán. 

Outside of work, she's excited to explore the Bay Area with her husband, Chris, but also loves diving into cooking projects at home in the company of their cat, Jean Claude Van Damme.

MELISSA LOAR, PASTRY CHEF Born and raised in Chicago, Pastry Chef Melissa Loar always found herself drawn to the kitchen, testing new recipes at the family dinner table and exploring cake decoration throughout her youth before ultimately deciding to attend culinary school at Kendall College. It was here that she set her sights on becoming a pastry chef.

After school, Melissa accepted her first pastry position at Swift & Sons (BOKA Restaurant Group) and continued to hone her skills in the kitchen, rising to the position of opening sous chef at the group’s sister restaurant Somerset within a few short years. 

At Somerset, Melissa established herself as a manager, leading 10+ culinary professionals and executing the round-the-clock demands of a grand hotel while continuing to expand her passion for pastry- familiarizing herself with chocolate work, specialty cakes, and breads. With much gained in a few short years, Melissa accepted a position as the group’s pastry sous chef at Michelin-starred BOKA, focusing on an elevated dessert menu inspired by seasonal ingredients. This would be her last station in Chicago before relocating to San Francisco and accepting the position of Pastry Chef at Octavia in 2021 where she currently leads the acclaimed restaurant’s pastry and dessert program.