SAN RAMON, CALIFORNIA – Last year, the Bay Area culinary scene was shocked and saddened by the news that chef Charles Phan passed away at only 62 years old.
Chef Phan grew up in Vietnam and fled to the United States after the fall of Saigon.
In 1995, he opened Slanted Door in the Mission District of San Francisco. This iconic restaurant brought the flavors of Vietnam to the Bay Area in a new way.
Over several decades, two cookbooks, and multiple high-end restaurants, Phan became an iconic member of the San Francisco food scene.
Phan most recently impacted the 925 when he opened a new outpost of Slanted Door at City Center Bishop Ranch in San Ramon, California.
Slanted Door was one of the flagship restaurants that helped launch the upscale shopping center back in 2018. City Center has since grown into a thriving destination for high-end shopping and dining, attracting multiple other eateries.
When Phan died, it sent shockwaves through the entire Bay Area.
Now, City Center is honoring Phan’s legacy with a touching, 30-foot-tall tribute to the late chef on the exterior of the shopping center.
The tribute comes in the form of a massive banner featuring a striking black-and-white photo of Phan.
Text on the sign reads: “In loving memory of Charles Phan (1962–2025), celebrated chef, visionary, innovator, and dear friend.”
Usually, the side of City Center is reserved for advertisements and local art projects. Seeing Phan’s portrait displayed at such a large scale is both touching and deeply emotional.
Overall, it feels like a fitting tribute to a man who helped shape the Bay Area food scene into what it is today.
Despite Phan’s passing, his restaurant legacy lives on, with Slanted Door at City Center continuing to carry the culinary torch.
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