About Us
– Chris Cosentino –
ABOUT THE CHEF
Chef Chris Cosentino
Chris is co-owner of San Francisco’s celebrated Cockscomb restaurant, Jackrabbit at The Duniway in Portland, OR, and Acacia House at Las Alcobas, a Luxury Collection Hotel in Napa Valley.
Cosentino cooked at some of the country’s most beloved restaurants, including Red Sage in Washington, D.C. and Rubicon, Chez Panisse, Belon, and Redwood Park in the Bay Area, before opening Incanto, his first executive chef position. At Incanto, Cosentino drew critical acclaim for his innovative Italian and whole animal cooking. During Incanto’s twelve-year tenure, Cosentino mastered the art of hand-crafted cured meats and helped raise awareness about utilizing the entire animal, including its offal.
In 2014, Cosentino opened Cockscomb, showcasing a range of sustainable meat cuts and dishes.
inspired by the city’s rich culinary and artistic history. In 2017, Cosentino opened Jackrabbit in spring to highlight the Pacific Northwest’s rich ingredient palate and talented artisans, followed by Acacia House at Los Alcobas Napa Valley.
Author of the 2012 cookbook Beginnings: My Way to Start a Meal, Cosentino’s long-awaited Offal Good: Cooking from the Heart with Guts, was released in fall 2017, celebrating wholeanimal cooking.
He also collaborated with Marvel and wrote Wolverine: In The Flesh. Cosentino won season four of BRAVO’s “Top Chef Masters,” earning over $140,000 for The Michael J. Fox Foundation, and he is a member of Chefs Cycle, a 300-mile annual bicycle ride that raises funds and awareness in support of No Kid Hungry.
ABOUT THE CHEF
Oliver Wharton
Oliver Wharton was born and raised in the culinary wonderland of Manhattan. After graduating from the esteemed Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, he worked abroad in Italy and with several of the U.K.’s finest chefs. He was a part of the critically acclaimed team at Jean-Georges in New York City that earned a coveted four-star review from The New York Times followed by a stint as general manager of the celebrated Vong restaurant in London.
Wharton was then tapped for the Director of Restaurant Operations position at Michael Mina’s Aqua Development Corporation, where he oversaw the launch and execution of several new
concepts in California and Las Vegas.
Wharton established A Perfect Bite, Inc., a restaurant management company, in 2002 with a clientele that included MGM, St. Regis, Marriott International, and Mina Group. He followed with a consulting position for The Light Group in 2004, directing the conceptual development of some of Las Vegas’ most popular dining destinations, and has been sought out by some of the world’s most renowned chefs including Terrance Brennan and José Andrés.
Wharton is currently collaborating with acclaimed chef Chris Cosentino; following their successful debut of Cockscomb restaurant in San Francisco, the duo has embarked on a dynamic period of growth with the opening of Acacia House at Las Alcobas- a Luxury Collection Hotel in Napa Valley, which San Francisco Chronicle restaurant critic Michael Bauer awarded 3.5 stars in a glowing review; and Jackrabbit at The Duniway in Portland, Oregon. Most recently, Wharton oversaw new development and implementation of restaurants at the landmark Cosmopolitan Hotel of Las Vegas to include David Chang’s Momofuku and Milk Bar in addition to Zuma and Los Angeles’ media darling Eggslut.
Oliver’s invaluable knowledge and global background serve him well as he continues to craft compelling dining experiences in Las Vegas, San Francisco, New York, Napa Valley and Houston.
ABOUT THE CHEF
Sasha Grumman
Sasha Grumman, raised in a Sicilian family, chose the Italian Culinary Academy program in culinary school at the French Culinary Academy in New York and spent three months at ALMA culinary school in Parma, Italy. After staging at the Michelin-starred Giuda Ballerino in Rome, she graduated at the top of her class and moved to San Francisco to work at Delfina Restaurant.
At Delfina, she dove head first into Italian food. This was the restaurant where passion began to turn into skill and craft. The nuance of cooking with live fire and emulsifying a pasta sauce just right were among her biggest take-aways from Delfina.
Her talent, dedication, and work-ethic opened doors for her at top restaurants around San Francisco. She worked in some of the best kitchens for well-respected chefs, including Melissa Perillo, Ryan Pollnow, Charles Phan, Mourad Lahlou, and Chris Cosentino at Cockscomb.
After 6 years in San Francisco, Sasha moved to Los Angeles and started hosting her own popups through Feastly LA. Not long after, Bruce Kalman of Union Restaurant took her under his wing. She became chef de cuisine at Italian-focused Union, and creativity and leadership were paramount to her success there.
With a strong focus on handmade pasta, seasonality and rustic refinement became her guidelines for the creation of new menu items. She spent nearly a year as chef de cuisine at Launderette in Austin before accepting the position of executive chef at Rosalie.