CHEF/ OWNER DOMINICA RICE-CISNEROS

Named one of the “Female Titans of the Bay Area Food Scene” by Eater San Francisco, Dominica Rice-Cisneros is a chef and restaurateur whose storied career spans more than three decades. The culmination is Bombera. Named a discovery by the Michelin Guide, Bombera is a restaurant that has changed the culinary landscape of Oakland celebrating Mexican American culture and Chicana heritage cooking.

Dominica opened her first solo project, Cosecha café, at the century-old Swan’s Market in 2010. Her soulful cooking drew lines throughout the market for close to 12 years before closing in 2022. The food at Cosecha café captured the attention of The James Beard Foundation, naming Dominica as a semifinalist for Best Chef California in 2019.  During this time, Dominica was already working on opening her second project, Bombera, a full-service restaurant located in a former firehouse in the Dimond neighborhood of Oakland.  

The menu at Bombera is a true reflection of Dominica’s memories from her grandmother’s tamales to the smoked trout tostada, a dish inspired by the Jewish delis of New York City and the fresh fish of Baja California.  She is dedicated to serving only the highest quality products making as much in-house as possible.  Ingredients are sourced from the best farms in California and corn is nixtamalized to make masa for their housemade tortillas and tamales. As a result, the restaurant has received many accolades including being named one of the Best Restaurants in Oakland by the San Francisco Chronicle. 

Born and raised in Downtown Los Angeles, Dominica is a second generation Mexican-American whose family origins tie back to Chihuahua, Mexico.  While Dominica started working in restaurants at the age of 14, she honed her fine dining skills working with industry vets such as her mentors Chef Alice Waters and Chef Chris Lee at Chez Panisse, Chef Alex Lee at restaurant Daniel, and with Chef Antonio Rivera in Mexico City. It was her experience in Mexico City where she developed an appreciation for the local farmers markets and seasonal cooking, a practice she continues to live by today.

A member of Les Dames d’Escoffier since 2017, Dominica continues to be a champion for having more women of all ages and stages of life in the restaurant industry. She believes in training and providing career opportunities for local women in the Bay Area.  Dominica and her husband, Southwest history Professor Carlos Solomon, continue to raise their small family in Oakland. She stays inspired by their travels, research, and the idea of carrying on traditional Mexican recipes, and perfecting Chicana Heritage cooking.