If you’re a fan of Top Chef, you may feel like you already know Lambassador Chef Laura Ozyilmaz -- as of this writing, she’s in the finals! Back in the real world, she and husband Chef Sayat Ozyilmaz run the highly acclaimed Dalida restaurant in San Francisco’s Presidio National Park. We caught up with Laura to let you get to know her and the restaurant a little bit better, and to hear about her experience Down Under. 

What should our readers know about your background?  

I’m originally from Mexico, and went to cooking school in Mexico City, The Culinary Institute of America, and Basque Culinary Center. Coming up, I worked at prestigious restaurants like Café Boulud, Mugaritz, Eleven Madison Park, Del Posto, and Saison while working on our pop-up business Istanbul Modern. In 2019 Sayat and I opened Noosh. And in 2023 we opened Dalida, in the Presidio of San Francisco.  

Now that it’s been a minute, what are some lasting memories from your trip to Australia? Any moments/experiences that stand out?  

We have a lot of Australian lamb on the menu at Dalida, and being able to connect what we serve to the farmers and farms it comes from, giving it a face and place is really impactful. It gave me the tools to explain how our lamb is sourced, why it is the consistent, flavorful, and sustainable ingredient that we choose. It also inspired us to do more to use the whole animal - knowing firsthand what goes into producing it, we want to make it all count!  

What has been the feedback to the “borderless” eastern med cuisine that Dalida is built on? What are your guests connecting to about the concept?  

People love the idea of coming to a restaurant where they can have a sense of culture, but also familiar California ingredients - clean products, and fresh, seasonal produce. We’re known for our breads, and that tactile act of breaking bread, sharing with your tablemates is an important part of the appeal. Eastern Mediterranean cuisine is something guests here are ready to dive into - it’s familiar enough to feel safe, but also has so much to discover, and we excel at that. It’s simple food, prepared with thoughtful technique.   

How do guests at Dalida respond to the Aussie lamb dishes? Any that are particularly popular or sought after?  

Honestly all of our lamb dishes do really well; we’re practically a lamb restaurant! The Cypriot lamb chops are really popular - they’re a take of “cheftali” which in Cyprus are skewered lamb meatballs wrapped in caul fat. We wrap a lamb chop in ground lamb and caul fat, and serve it on our hummus with a lamb jus. The manti pasta is also a top seller; tiny little dumplings stuffed with lamb and cooked in butter with a tomato and urfa chile sauce and garlic labneh. And the 12-hour lamb shoulder has been a signature since day 1.  

(Cyproit lamb chops from Dalida) 

We are definitely overdue for a visit! (More on the food here.) 

What is it like operating a restaurant inside a national park, in San Francisco?  

It definitely adds some challenges and more regulations about sustainability, from the lighting to food to waste. But on balance it’s actually a great advantage. We are in a beautiful space, connected to nature and with access to a garden right there. For our team it’s a real asset to be able to take a break and be in nature and in the trees, instead of perching on a trashcan in the back alley somewhere. But because it’s still in San Francisco, we’re very accessible to our team and the guests, and without a lot of those big city problems. 

Readers, cheer on Laura as she competes in Top Chef, and be sure to visit Dalida the next time you’re in San Francisco! A must-do for sure.  

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