Bios

Christophe Hille – Trained professionally as a chef, and a graduate of Wesleyan University, Christophe worked for eight years in the restaurant industry and for one-and-a-half as a private chef. After completing a culinary degree at New England Culinary Institute, Christophe worked in Connecticut, France, San Francisco, and Italy. His last foray in the restaurant experience was opening and co-owning A16 Restaurant, where he served as executive chef for over two years. A tremendously successful restaurant from the day it opened its doors, A16 was focused on the rustic foods of Southern Italy, with a particular focus on authentic Neapolitan pizza. While with A16, Christophe worked to develop relationships with local farms and producers, and oversaw a rigorously seasonal menu. Now living in Brooklyn, Christophe is a graduate student at NYU, where he is pursuing an M.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics, and a Registered Dietitian certification.

Nathan Q. Foot, Executive Chef – Nathan began his career in food and beverage 14 years ago at the Park Hyatt San Francisco. After a year as a kitchen apprentice, Nathan was hooked and enrolled in the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. Upon graduating in 1998, he explored San Francisco’s best French and Californian fine dining in the kitchens of Roland Passot (La Folie), Laurent Manrique (Campton Place Restaurant), Daniel Paterson (Elisabeth Daniel), and Ron Siegal (Masa’s). After these experiences, Nathan moved into kitchen management, as a sous-chef for Adrian Hoffman at One Market Restaurant, and for Traci des Jardins at Jardiniere. In his last position in San Francisco, as the Chef-de-Cuisine and then Executive Chef at Myth Restaurant, Nathan developed the weekly menus and managed every aspect of the kitchen. By using local farms and purveyors, and keeping foods simple and accessible, Nathan believes that a sustainable business can be developed, one that satisfies its owners, employees and customers.

Chris Ronis, Managing Partner – was born and raised in rural Pennsylvania where he cultivated an appreciation for a slower way of life. With his heart in the country, he’s always had a foot in urban life. Chris has worked in marketing and sales in the entertainment industry for the past 12 years; most recently as Director of Sales and Marketing for Plexifilm, an independent film and DVD production and distribution company based in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Chris’s early connection to the food business comes from his half-brother, a 3rd generation owner-operator of the 140-year-old, world famous, Old Original Bookbinders Restaurant in Old City Philadelphia and now a 2nd location in Richmond, VA. Chris grew up around the business, working several summers in the kitchen there and at its sister restaurant on the Delaware River waterfront. Chris brings his deeply rooted passion for food and food politics as well as his experience with customer service, sales, marketing and branding to Northern Spy.