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Fumé
3 lb. Fish Bones with heads on
3 medium leeks, thinly sliced
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 stalks celery, thinly sliced
½ lb. butter
1 btl. white table wine
10 black pepper corns
1 bay leaf

Scrape meat off the fish bones then split heads lengthwise. Places bones in a bowl and soak in cold water for 1 hour, changing the water every 20min. Remove bones from water and pat dry. Place bones in a 225-degree oven and roast until they are dry and opaque. In a medium saucepot add the leeks, onions, celery and sweat in butter until tender. Add white wine, bay leaf, and peppercorns and simmer for three minutes. Add bones and cover with cold water. Let simmer for 2-3 hours then strain through a fine colander or coffee filter. Set aside to cool.

For beans
2 cups Rancho Gordo Flageolet that have been soaked 6-8 hours in water
1 lg. carrot, finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
1 med. yellow onion, finely diced
Zest of 1 lemon, grated finely
¼ lb.butter
18 mussels steamed and removed from shell
18 clams steamed and removed from shell
¼ lb. rock shrimp
¼ lb. salmon cut into large cubes
1.5 qts. Fumé

In large oven safe pot sweat the onions, celery and carrots in butter until tender. Add lemon zest, beans and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add fumé and bring to a boil then remove from stovetop, cover and place in a 350 oven for 1.5-2 hours. Remove from oven when the beans are tender and immediately add the seafood. If there is liquid in the pot you may place it back in the oven until the consistency is thick and creamy. Garnish with fresh arugula and a squeeze of lemon.

Ben deVries Owner/ Chef Luella Restaurant

Ben de Vries's dream of opening a restaurant began at the age of six when he announced to his Mother at the dinner table that "I would like to be a chef and have my own restaurant." His goal has not wavered in twenty-eight years. As soon as Ben graduated from high school he moved to Vermont to learn his craft at the respected New England Culinary Institute. After graduating, Ben worked in a variety of East Coast restaurants before moving to San Francisco.

Ben further honed his skills at some of San Francisco's finest restaurants. His career in San Francisco began as Sous-Chef at the busy and ever popular Provencal French Restaurant, LuLu. After Ben's departure from LuLu he contributed to the launches of Scala's Bistro and Vertigo before joining the Management team of World Wrapps, Inc., as the corporate Sous-Chef and Opening Coordinator for this successful quick service concept. Ben opened seven locations during his tenure. After gaining extensive operational experience, Ben returned to the kitchen, and became a member of the management team as Sous-Chef for the Spanish Tapas restaurant ThirstyBear. After two years at ThirstyBear, Ben became the opening Sous-Chef at the French/Japanese restaurant mc2. He was then recruited to take the reins as Chef at Ristoranté Ecco, where he received three stars from the San Francisco Chronicle's Michael Bauer and gained the respect of food critics for his fresh take on Italian cooking.

Ben's most recent success has been in the role of Executive Chef at the very successful Mission District restaurant Andalu, where he has taken the tapas concept to a whole new level. Ben has received superb reviews from the local and national press including San Francisco Magazine, Bon Appetit, Food and Wine, Gourmet and The New York Times.

Together with his wife Rachel, Ben's dream of opening his own restaurant is coming true this fall. Luella, located on beautiful Russian Hill in San Francisco, will be a modern neighborhood restaurant serving Mediterranean inspired cuisine.