Chef Robert Dorsey takes over the Oakland Museum restaurant
Robert Dorsey III learned to eat from sustainable sources at a very young age while in his grandmother’s West Berkeley garden. He never forgot this principle throughout his culinary journey, especially as he takes over the new Oakland Museum café. The phase 1 renovations of the museum, including the café, are due to be completed in May.
Dorsey’s menu will utilize seasonal and local ingredients and reflect the many cultures and influences of California. The cafe will also highlight special themed menus to celebrate the museum’s featured exhibits. With plans to establish a community garden on site, the cafe menu will be rich with organically grown produce, just like in his grandmother’s garden.
Dorsey cut his gastronomic teeth in the city, at restaurants like Firefly and Kuletos. On the East Bay, he worked at Café Rouge and served as lunch chef the at the famed Bay Wolf before he opened his own restaurant, Blackberry Bistro (on Park Boulevard in the Glenview District), in 2003. Known for having fluffy pancakes and wonderful shrimp and grits, the restaurant was voted “Best Breakfast/Brunch in the East Bay” by East Bay Express. He has since sold Blackberry Bistro and has consulted with many new restaurateurs on their menus and restaurant designs.
While Dorsey is very focused on making the as-yet-unnamed Oakland Museum café a destination in its own right, he is also looking to the future. He hopes to continue picking up new cultural influences for his particular culinary brand and to extend it to new projects over time. His goal is to create a warm guest experience that connects them to the food and to continue the mission of the slow food movement.