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Insalata's, an upscale Mediterranean venue, is located in San Anselmo, California, about twenty minutes north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Though insalata means “salad” in Italian, it is in fact the maiden name of Executive Chef and Owner Heidi Insalata Krahling and was named such to honor her late father, Italo Insalata.

About Heidi and the Food

Heidi grew up in a semi-rural section of Ventura County in Southern California. The family home was located on a half acre and her father had planted a variety of fruit trees in the back yard so that the family would always have access to fresh produce. To this day, Heidi can close her eyes and name the trees in order - avocado, orange, Satsuma tangerine, apple, lemon...

Her mother did the bulk of the cooking in early days, but as her father neared retirement, he began to create gourmet dishes for the family. Heidi remembers how he would quiz each family member about what they thought of each meal and how he wouldn’t accept an answer of “It was good,” or “It tasted delicious,” but instead challenged them to put words to the unique flavors and spices that they were tasting.

Being an Italian family, there was always a great emphasis on food and the discussion of all things food related. During a meal if they weren’t discussing what they were eating at that moment, they were planning the next meal or the one after that.  After he retired, Italo collected all of his favorite recipes and gave each family member their own Insalata family cookbook.

Italo often cooked for Knights of Columbus dinners and other charitable events in the community and Heidi learned at an early age that such community involvement was not only the right thing to do, but extremely fulfilling.

Heidi’s first venture into restaurant ownership came at an early age.  Even before graduating from Cal Poly as a business major, she was a part-owner of a coffee shop in San Luis Obispo and also owned a small cafe in Bass Lake - the Koffee Kup.  After marrying her husband, Mark, they moved to San Francisco where Heidi attended Tante Marie’s Cooking School in North Beach.  Upon completing the course, she went to work for Joyce Goldstein at Square One.  Joyce was a disciple of Alice Waters, of Chez Panisse fame and Heidi experienced - as in her childhood - the importance of preparing food based on fresh, local, seasonal ingredients.

The food and philosophy of Insalata’s reflect Heidi’s unique background - from the warm Mediterranean colors of the interior and exterior, to the luscious paintings of fruit and vegetables to the innovative menu of Mediterranean cuisine based on the freshest ingredients of the season.  Her signature dishes are inspired by the cuisine of the Middle East and Mediterranean and include Syrian Fattoush Salad, Sicilian Shellfish Stew, Moroccan Lamb Tagine.

Her passion for Mediterranean food is passed to others through classes at Tante Marie’s, the Culinary Institute of America, Ramekins and other Bay Area cooking schools. She been a guest on Bay Area radio talk shows and made appearances on local television programs.  She is an active member of the community, supporting local charities and has received the Extraordinary Community Service Award from the city of San Anselmo.  The restaurant has received numerous awards, including honorable mentions from both the Zagat and Michilin guides.

The entire Krahling family is involved in the restaurant.  Daughter Talia, 15, works at the take-out counter when not involved in school or playing volleyball. Son Joe, 16, is a high school junior and works as a dessert plater and occasionally as a line cook.  Husband Mark, a former educator, bakes bread several mornings each week and helps with bookkeeping and restaurant repairs. He enjoys writing a travel and publishes a blog at pauseforpurpose.com.  As a family, they are proud of how Heidi has used her upbringing, training and experience and followed her vision to create a successful restaurant.

 About Jim and the Wine

 As a brilliant piece of music is nothing without expert musicians, impeccably prepared food may be lost without proper front-of-the-house attention. General Manager Jim Warren has developed a friendly, knowledgeable, and professional service team at Insalata's.  He ran the banquet room at Square One from the day it opened until the day it closed, a twelve-year stint.

 Jim Warren knows food, service and wine. Jim has fine-tuned the hundred-plus list that includes selections from Mediterranean and North Africa countries such as Italy, France, Greece and Lebanon, as well as notables from Chile, South Africa, New Zealand, and Napa and Sonoma.

 Twenty wines are available by the glass, including some off-the-beaten-path selections such as Michael Austin Viognier, Pey-Marin Pinot Noir and Di Bruno Sangiovese.

Food and wine pairings are seriously considered and discussed at length during pre-shift meetings. The staff’s suggestions regarding wine are worthy of your inquiry.