Eric Tucker

Executive Chef
Millennium Restaurant
San Francisco, California

Millennium Restaurant's Executive Chef Eric Tucker is dedicated to serving cuisine that is primarily organic, vegan (meatless and dairy free), and especially rich with flavor. Under Eric's direction, Millennium's cuisine is stylish and accessible to non-vegetarians and vegetarians alike. In an elegant setting inside downtown San Francisco's restored Abigail Hotel, Millennium proves to diners on a nightly basis that this is gourmet fare at its healthiest and most delicious.

Early Years

Chef Tucker's interest in health related cookery and nutrition developed in his early teens when distance running and hypoglycemia made him realize how important diet can be. "I was forced to become aware of the profound effect that changing your diet has on your health", a statement that is being made by more and more people everywhere as the connection between diet and disease becomes more known.

The culmination of his formal education in healthful cuisine was graduating from the Natural Gourmet Institute for Food and Health in New York City in 1990. His total dedication to creating innovative, natural, and low-fat cuisine surfaced after spending 2 years at Milly's Restaurant in San Rafael, where he was made head chef. When the owners of Milly's opened Millennium in October 1994, Tucker was named Executive Chef, where he continues as the creative force behind the restaurant's success.

Current Projects

Tucker and his staff are inspired by the world's ethnic cuisines. Asian and Latin American influences figure prominently, although traditional concepts are applied to a variety of innovative combinations. As no dairy or animal products are used, the dishes are cholesterol free and many are low in fat with little or no oil. Many dishes exceed American Heart Association guidelines due to the influence of the principles of well known author Dr. John McDougall, and professional nutritionist John Westerdahl, M.P.H., R.D., C.N.S., co-author with Tucker of the recently released The Millennium Cookbook, Extraordinary Vegetarian Cuisine. With full nutritional information, advice on modifying recipes to suit personal preferences, and easy instructions, the recipes in The Millennium Cookbook are a pleasure to prepare and a pleasure to enjoy.

Although not a strict vegetarian himself, Chef Tucker is adamant about the health benefits of following a vegetarian or near-vegetarian diet. "My mission is to show the public that you don't have to compromise flavor and texture as you cut out harmful, high-fat, animal products and oil." Eric Tucker exceeds this mission by creating recipes of the highest healthful order, with an exciting, eclectic style, and unbelievable, innovative flavor. Make Millennium a must stop on your next cable car ride.

• Millennium Restaurant is located in the Abagail Hotel at 246 McAllister Street, San Francisco, California. The restaurant is open for dinner 7 nights a week, from 5:00 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. For information and reservations please call (415) 487-9800.

The Millennium Cookbook, published by Ten Speed Press, is available at the restaurant, in book stores, and from Amazon.com.