Bill Cornelison
Omni San Francisco | San Francisco, CA
September 2026
Bill Cornelison grew up in California's Central Valley, getting an early appreciation for farming and agriculture on his family's cattle ranch. After picking up a gig at 15 doing odd jobs around a local restaurant, he moved to a prep cook position, and by 17, was training new employees. After high school, Cornelison graduated from The California Culinary Academy in San Francisco before joining the team at Chef Jacky Robert's Ernie's as an extern, where Robert's mentorship and highly detailed kitchen proved to be both formative and inspiring for Cornelison.
In 1990, Cornelison joined the management development program at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa. Over nine years there, he progressed from roundsman to sous chef and then to chef de cuisine before becoming a purchasing manager, learning the ins and outs of managing a large-scale operation with effective systems. Over the next decade, Cornelison worked as an executive chef for several Hilton properties and private country clubs in California and Arizona before returning to the Bay Area to work at UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center managing their dining program in 2017.
Following the pandemic, Cornelison landed a role at the Omni San Francisco where he now manages the hotel's restaurant and banquet operations as executive chef. He continues to improve operations and systems and relishes the opportunity to pass on his years of experience to the next generation. In addition to his work at the Omni San Francisco, Cornelison stays active in the Bay Area community by contributing meals to GLIDE San Francisco, an inclusive organization that provides resources for those experiencing poverty and food insecurity.
2026 StarChefs San Francisco-Oakland Rising Stars Award Winner
