Heena Patel is the chef and co-owner of Besharam, a regional Gujarati restaurant in San Francisco’s Dogpatch district. Roughly translated to mean “shameless,” Besharam features Heena’s bold interpretation of the flavors and dishes that were prevalent throughout her childhood in India, playfully reimagined within a California context. Since the restaurant’s opening, Heena has received local and national attention for her fearless style including recognition as a James Beard Foundation Awards Best Chef California semifinalist in 2022, and accolades from Eater San Francisco as the Restaurant of the Year in 2019. At Besharam, Heena offers an experience that is unmistakably hers, while paying homage to her heritage and every chapter that has informed the journey to this moment.