If there's one thing we learned about Jonathan Rollo, it's that he doesn't stay still. We grew tired just reading about what he does in his free time.
Read our interview with Jonathan Rollo of Greenleaf Gourmet Chopshop, Part One.
And now, on to part two . . . .
When you're not in the kitchen cooking, what are you doing?
Working out at Barry's Bootcamp– it's part therapy and part kick-ass class. Playing with my dogs (Zorra, Huck and Sawyer), hiking and training for triathlons.
Last song playing on the radio:
Muse – Madness.
]
Where did you grow up?
Pasadena, so growing up I always came to visit friends and family.
Hardest lesson you've learned:
Culinarily speaking, how to cook eggs.
What's your favorite childhood memory?
Fishing with my grandparents in Colorado. We'd pack a lunch for the day and walk up beautiful wild streams and rivers, casting flies and eating our catch for dinner.
When traveling in Western Europe, was there one place that stood out in particular?
The food of Southern Italy is possibly my favorite on the planet; fresh, raw ingredients bursting so full of flavor you hardly need to prepare them. I always cook from that mind-frame: let the ingredients speak for themselves.
What were you up to five years ago?
Five years ago I was working for The Patina Group managing a few of their locations. I was just finishing a stint as the Assistant Director of Food & Beverage at the Hollywood Bowl; great food combined with live music in a beautiful outdoor setting. It was a great job that challenged and pushed me.
Last book read.
Jack Reacher – I wanted to read it before I saw the movie.
How did you and executive chef Kristi Ritchey meet?
She came to work in LA from Napa and we bonded immediately.
Last thing you looked up online:
If Downtown Abbey is a real place.
Do you have any skills that are non-food related?
Playing piano, sailing, skiing.
What would you be doing if you weren't in this business?
Well, I can't sing, so boy band is out. I didn't do very well on my LSAT, so lawyer is out. And I'm not that flexible, so not a contortionist. But I do make a mean martini, so maybe James Bond?
Follow Stick a Fork In It on Twitter @ocweeklyfood or on Facebook! And don't forget to download our free Best Of App here!
A contributing writer for OC Weekly, Anne Marie freelances for multiple online and print publications, and guest judges for culinary competitions. A Bay Area transplant, she graduated with a degree in Hospitality Management from Cal Poly Pomona. Find her on Instagram as brekkiefan.