Nelson German is the Dominican American chef-owner behind Oakland’s alaMar Kitchen & Bar, the Afro-Latin cocktail lounge Sobre Mesa, and Meski, a soulful Afro-Latin brunch and dinner destination in San Francisco. A Top Chef Season 18 contestant and one of Plate’s “2020 Chefs to Watch,” Nelson’s unorthodox culinary style blends his Dominican heritage, African roots, and Mediterranean and Asian influences with a deep love of local, sustainable California ingredients. His work has been featured in The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle,Ebony, Forbes, KQED, KRON, and more.