“It’s really about stewardship, permaculture, taking care of our land and taking care of the people who operate restaurants to make this magic happen everyday for the individuals."

As a native of Southern New Jersey, surrounded by the pinelands, the bay and the shore, Chef Rob Rubba always found himself tangled in nature. He originally went to art school to study graphic design and then began painting but soon found a new passion one summer when he immersed himself in the culinary world working as a pastry cook. Since then, he has worked in several highly regarded kitchens under the guidance of chefs such as Gordon Ramsay, Guy Savoy, Laurent Gras and the late Charlie Trotter. Once Rob moved to D.C., he helped open restaurant Hazel and about a year later, left Hazel to focus his efforts on the sustainability of restaurants which led to the development of Oyster Oyster. When the pandemic hit and opening Oyster Oyster needed to be paused, Chef Rubba shifted by starting SCRAPPY’S Bagel Bar and became a co-founder of Bakers Against Racism, a movement of decentralized bake sales that donates funds to local organizations that improve black lives and aid in stopping systemic racism.

So, what will you hear about in this episode? Chef Rob Rubba’s experience and perspective as a young cook, building a plant-based restaurant that is focused on sustainability, seasonality and stewardship, starting a movement to create racial justice and how the industry can be more inclusive overall.