EP-261 Ben Henning of State Bird Provisions and The Progress

Producer’s Note: we're going to continue bringing you timeless stories and important interviews, some of which have newfound relevance because of COVID-19, and some that are explicitly unrelated. This episode you’re about to hear was recorded during San Francisco's Beer Week in February 2020, so the context is removed a bit from what’s happening in the world right now, but the information is still valuable, and we want to share it with you. Listen for an update at the end of the episode.

How many times have you sat down at a nice restaurant and perused the drinks menu, only to find yourself thoroughly disappointed by the beer list?

Ben Henning, a beer buyer for two Michelin-starred sister restaurants in San Francisco, makes it his life’s work to ensure that that never happens to his patrons.

Henning works with State Bird Provisions and The Progress, two widely lauded neighboring restaurants in the city’s Fillmore District. You’ll often catch him on the floor working alongside waiters, discussing the restaurants’ robust beer offerings with guests, and espousing the merits of pairing beer with their many exceptional dishes.

But Henning isn’t always successful at converting the wine drinkers. In the high-end restaurant game, convincing guests to consider beer over wine or spirits is always an uphill battle, even though Henning, a certified Cicerone with years of buying experience, is bringing in the best of the best. On any given day, State Bird and The Progress carry carefully selected, rare Lambics and farmhouse ales.

On the day I arrive to speak with Henning, in the middle of San Francisco Beer Week, the restaurant is bustling ahead of its 4 p.m. opening. A line is forming outside of locals hoping to snag one of the few tables kept open for walk-ins. Management is readying for the opening of two new restaurants elsewhere in the city. Upstairs, staff is setting up for a private event, and just after Henning and I begin our conversation, we’re asked to relocate to another room—you’ll hear that break in the interview.

Even within the chaos, Henning is cool-headed. Staying level in ever-changing circumstances is what his work is all about.

This is Ben Henning of State Bird Provisions and The Progress. Listen in.