Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristina Compton

Hi Kristina, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?

I began working in kitchens the summer of my junior year of high school. I became all consumed with cooking and knew that it was what I wanted to pursue. I’d been on track to go to college on a basketball scholarship, but plans quickly changed.
I worked my way through kitchens in South Carolina and eventually ended up moving to San Francisco. I knew that I wanted to get out of the South and had always dreamed of living in California. And now, I own a restaurant in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood, called Hilda and Jesse.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?

It has not been a smooth road for me. I was heavily criticized for deciding not to play basketball in college and for forgoing college all together. I have never been one for traditional schooling. I love learning by doing and so for me restaurants were the perfect learning environment.
I have always marched to the beat of my own drum and followed my passions rather than taking the more traditional route. I am also queer so growing up in the South was challenging for me. I wasn’t able to “come out” until my mid to late 20’s, after I had moved to San Francisco.
Opening Hilda and Jesse has also had it’s unique obstacles/challenges.
We took the leap of faith to open a brick and mortar during the pandemic, when sudden changes in the rental market finally made it feasible for us. We soon got swept up in a media frenzy that was followed by months of online harassment. What actually happened seemed like a small thing: the presence of uniformed police officers who came in to dine discomfited our staff. Ensuring that our team felt safe in our space was a clear commitment we’d made to ourselves, so we asked the police officers to leave, and invited them to come back when off duty.
But what blew up in the news cycle was heavily politicized. New to business ownership, we weren’t prepared for the maelstrom. We were personally and professionally targeted with a fear campaign: we were doxxed on social media sites 4Chan and Parler, forcing us to leave our homes and change our phone numbers. We were inundated with hate speech and death threats, both personally and at the restaurant. Moreover, our restaurant’s account pages racked up 1-star reviews, a steady trickle that continues today and does real damage to a small business like ours. It felt so defeating. We weren’t sure if we could, or should, keep going. But we felt that we’d created something unique and important: a place where our staff feel accepted, supported and free to be who they are, even in the face of opposition. Sometimes, opposition can have the opposite of its intended effect. For us, it not only reaffirmed our core values–it underscored their importance. We had to keep going.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?

Hilda and Jesse is a queer owned brunch, dinner and event space located in San Francisco’s North Beach, offering modern #funluxury. With twists on the typical, Hilda and Jesse delivers unique options infused with a playful touch. We offer an innovative and intentional menu that calls on a wide varieties of menu inspirations.

Initially born out of our popular Brunch for Dinner pop-ups, the menu has grown and evolved to include dinner as well as our popular brunch. Not bound by tradition, the menu showcases sweet and savory plays on classic dishes reimagined, made with impeccably sourced ingredients and fine dining technique.

Hilda and Jesse is very queer. We are known as being a safe space for the queer community. Our service is warm and attentive without being stuffy and pretentious. We have a knack for making guests feel comfortable and taken care of.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?

I love the green spaces, the walkability, the hills and the uniqueness of each neighborhood. I love that you can be who you are and as weird as you want.
I love this city and don’t have a ton of complaints, BUT I do wish that there was more support for all of our amazing small business!

Pricing:

• $85 Five Course Chef’s Adventure Menu

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.hildaandjessesf.com
• Instagram: hildaandjessesf

Image Credits

Timofei Osipenko (Pancake Shot)
Nicole Morrison (Interior Shots)
Adahlia Cole (Shot of my business partner Rachel Sillcocks and I)