Chef Departs Standout Berkeley Restaurant

Sophina Uong’s life turned upside down when she left her job on Feb. 1 as the creative force behind 900 Grayson, a trendy West Berkeley restaurant that she says has helped bring cultural sophistication to the neighborhood.

Uong, 33, transformed a nondescript diner at the corner of Grayson and 7th streets last year into a chic “urban-eclectic” restaurant with her then-partner, Joshua Pearl and his friends, Anthony and Christopher Saulnier. Her departure over disagreements about the restaurant’s management has left a hole in her life and Berkeley cuisine, she said.

“Josh and I have separated,” Uong said. “It’s hard because he’s a chef too. When you cook food for a living, it’s hard to relinquish what you believe in.”

Pearl and Uong, who served as co-chefs, have a 4-year-old daughter, Roan.

“(Sophina) was creative, but it was just difficult. I mean, she’s the mother of my child. It took extreme circumstances to get to where we are right now,” said Pearl, the restaurant’s general manager. “There was a difference in opinion in how this place should be run, and she couldn’t compromise.”

Uong took the creative reins when the restaurant was being designed, developing quirky twists on many dishes such as her “Bitter Melon Omelette,” inspired by traditional Cambodian cuisine. She described the restaurant’s fare as “comfort food with refined techniques.”

The eclectic cuisine and the quirky menu names distinguish the restaurant from the other sandwich-and-salad venues in the area, bringing something new to what is largely a manufacturing district, Uong said.

According to floor manager Anthony Saulnier, the owners know 60-70 percent of their customers, a majority of whom are employees in nearby businesses on a first-name basis.

The restaurant’s owners said the development of 900 Grayson had been a collaborative effort, but they had allowed Uong to be the face of the restaurant.

“She had talent and charm, but the reality was there was a lot more going on. When she left, it’s not like all the creativity went with her,” Pearl said.

They said they do not expect the restaurant to be immediately affected by Uong’s departure.

“As far as food and vision, nothing has changed,” Anthony Saulnier said.

Uong is currently looking for work elsewhere in the East Bay or in San Francisco.

“I’m starting over with everything in my life,” she said. “Which side of the bay is to be determined. The pain is almost too much to bear to stay on this side.”

Uong’s departure came at a time of uncertainty for the restaurant as the owners were applying for a permit to extend their hours to include dinner.

Anthony Saulnier said city officials are concerned with increased traffic to the area if the restaurant stays open later because the surrounding streets, which are used as an alternative to the Interstate 80 freeway, are crowded during rush hour.

In addition, Saulnier said city officials cited noise complaints against the previous owner of the building and a close proximity to another restaurant, Cafe Clem, in their concerns.

Uong said she hopes the restaurant moves forward and continues to prosper in West Berkeley.

“I want people to know that I’m gone, but that I do wish and hope the three of them well, and I really hope Josh maintains the kitchen and doesn’t settle for what he can do,” she said.

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