He says 'table brewed ice tea' and I say 'margarita’, but I've learned so much from him. 'Our new restaurant is where we butt heads a little bit on which directions to take. 'Knock on wood, Dad and I see eye to eye about most things,' Berkowitz says. He started off as the takeout/pantry boy, but soon worked his way through the entire kitchen, mastering every cooking station from preparation to sautéing. The day he earned his driver's license, he was off to work weekends at Max's Opera Café in San Francisco. His parents, who worked around the clock, kept him busy counting money, bussing tables, and restocking the salad bar. It's a fact neither of them can really explain.īorn in San Francisco in 1968, Berkowitz learned the business from the ground floor as he grew up in his family's first restaurant, Max's Son, which opened in 1978. 'Stolen with permission' from Billy Berkowitz, Director of Operations at Max's Bar & Restaurant, in Burlingame, California, the Berkowitz family has shared with us a delicious, old-time family recipe. Berkowitz's Grandma's Honey Roasted Chicken with Tzimmies is a popular dish at the restaurant and this simple recipe will bring back memories of hearty meals cooked in grandma's kitchen!Ībout the chef: The restaurant business may be in his blood, but Max's Director of Operations, Billy Berkowitz, is one of those rare people who has, for many years now, somehow been able to work amicably and effectively with his father, Dennis. Director of Operations, Billy Berkowitz's grandma's recipe!

Max opera cafe burlingame