James May — known affectionately to fans as "Captain Slow" — recently visited the Tesla diner and used the moment to do something refreshingly un-corporate: he told viewers to skip the chains and support local restaurants instead. His pick? Val's Burgers in Hayward.

Now, Val's isn't in San Francisco proper, but it's Bay Area through and through — and the endorsement is a nice reminder that the best food in this region isn't coming from venture-backed ghost kitchens or whatever overpriced poke bowl concept just landed on DoorDash. It's coming from spots like Val's that have been quietly doing their thing for years.

The Bay Area internet, naturally, had opinions. One local recalled the spot fondly: "Really tasty burgers, though... I should try it again." Another resident swore they spotted May riding shotgun in a McLaren nearby — "I only saw the back of his head and the hair," they laughed.

Here's the bigger takeaway, though. Every time a celebrity casually name-drops a local business, it does more for that business than a hundred government small-business programs ever could. No grants, no applications, no consultants billing $300 an hour to produce a PDF nobody reads. Just one guy with a platform saying, "Hey, go eat here."

That's how small businesses actually thrive — not through bureaucratic intervention, but through word of mouth, quality product, and the occasional British TV personality wandering through the East Bay.

So if you find yourself in Hayward, give Val's a shot. James May told you to, and frankly, that man has better taste than most city planning committees.