Overlooking the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, and adjacent to the recently-renovated River’s Edge Hotel, Rosswood announced the appointments of Ryan Gaul, Cody Lucchesi and Jerrod Knight to executive chef, chef de cuisine and sous chef. With a shared epicurean vision, enthusiasm for Pacific Northwest flavors and strong ties to the Portland restaurant scene, the trio will collaboratively apply their learned techniques to the seasonal menus while staying true to the restaurant’s blend of modern American cuisine with fresh local produce from the land and sea.
“Living in Portland, we are lucky to have the resources we have,” says Executive Chef Ryan Gaul at Rosswood. “I’ve had the pleasure to work with farms like Laney Family Farms and Nevor Shellfish Farm for quite a while now, and they are some of my favorite people to work with who have grown their business the right way. My team and I look forward to working with local purveyors to showcase the bounty of the Pacific Northwest in the ever-evolving menus at Rosswood.”
Ryan Gaul, Executive Chef
As executive chef, Ryan Gaul oversees all food service operations, kitchen personnel and signature events at Rosswood. Born in Idaho and raised in Spokane, Wash., Gaul moved to Portland in 2001 to pursue a culinary career during the boom of the city’s food innovation. His passion for cooking helped advance him through the kitchen ranks, up to his most recent position as executive chef of the former Buckman Public House in Southeast Portland. Gaul’s extensive background as a leader within the Pacific Northwest dining scene also includes executive chef roles at several beloved local restaurants from the rustic Woodsman Tavern to the contemporary Southpark Seafood. It was through his varietal work history in Portland where he found his own style of cooking and approach to leadership that encourages opportunities for other talents in the kitchen to showcase their skills.
Cody Lucchesi, Chef de Cuisine
Supporting Gaul in driving the restaurant is Chef de Cuisine Cody Lucchesi. The two reunite after having previously worked together at Southpark Seafood. As chef de cuisine, Lucchesi helms day-to-day operations including creating and overseeing the preparation of new recipes, liaising with suppliers, and updating menus. A Los Angeles native, Lucchesi spent time in a string of restaurants in Santa Monica and Hollywood before moving to Portland in 2006. His penchant for sustainable and locally-sourced foods influenced his decision to briefly leave the restaurant industry to receive hands-on knowledge with the city’s foragers and fishermen at Cascade Organic before returning to the kitchen at Rosswood.
Jerrod Knight, Sous Chef
Jerrod Knight rounds out the team as sous chef where he works closely with the chef de cuisine and holds an active role in the day-to-day running of the kitchen, filling in for the head chef when needed. Knight relocated to Portland in 2006 for his formal training, and for three consecutive years from 2014 to 2016, made a name for himself as a finalist in the legendary pâté competition at the Northwest Food & Wine Festival. Prior to joining Rosswood, Knight notably helped open Headwaters at the Heathman Hotel, serving as lead sauté under the prolific James Beard Award-winning Chef Vitaly Paley.
In addition to Rosswood, the culinary team leads food operations for the 100-room River’s Edge Hotel including private dining, catering, banquets and in-room delivery. Opened in January 2018, Rosswood is centered on menus rooted in seasonal ingredients sourced locally with an abundance of gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options. The bar program, led by Lead Bartender Kalani Parducci, is similarly regional with local-centric cocktails, craft brews and a Pacific Coast-focused wine program. Rosswood is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily and offers custom catering options for corporate meetings and social events.
