Lewis Rossman
Executive Chef & Partner

Executive Chef & Partner Lewis Rossman, a rising culinary star, brings more than twelve years of extensive culinary experience at some of the Bay Area's top dining spots to Sam’s Chowder House. For Rossman, working with food is an art form, and he is intensely passionate about creating exceptional menus.

Rossman grew up in rural Buck's County, a charming area outside of Philadelphia filled with farmlands, wineries, and local artisans, reminiscent of California's Napa Valley. The eldest of five children, Rossman inherited his parents' love of fine food and cooking – a love that would eventually guide his future. After graduating from the California Culinary Academy, he worked at the San Francisco Marriott Hotel. A sustained curiosity about the foods of other countries led Rossman to supplement his formal education with extensive travels throughout the Mediterranean. His visits to Italy, Greece, Turkey and Israel helped to shape his understanding and appreciation for simple, rustic cooking, inspiring his keen enthusiasm for incorporating local farmer's produce into his menus.

Rossman was instrumental in defining and creating three star award-winning cuisine for Cetrella Bistro and Cafe (Half Moon Bay, CA) over the past five years. Rossman met Shenkman when he joined Cetrella in 2001 as the Executive Sous Chef and member of this Half Moon Bay restaurant’s initial opening team, helping to create the food concept, develop menus, train and manage the line staff, and deliver what became a monthly tradition of Wine Lover's Dinners. He was promoted to Executive Chef only three years later and stayed in this position until 2006, each year making the acclaimed San Francisco Chronicle’s Top 100 Restaurant list. Rossman also worked at Tuscany-inspired Acquerello, rated one of Wine Spectator's 10 best Italian restaurants in the U.S., which he considers one of his greatest learning experiences. Rapidly rising through the ranks from line cook to chef de cuisine, he worked closely with award-winning chef Suzette Gresham. Rossman became involved in all aspects of the restaurants cuisine and operations. To further expand his experience, Rossman then went to Kokkari in San Francisco, where he learned about operations and cooking for an upscale high-volume restaurant, specializing in Mediterranean cuisine.

For inspiration, Rossman looks to the cuisine of the Mediterranean region, his background growing up going to the beaches on the Eastern seaboard, as well as to the bountiful farms right in his own back yard. He has established long-lasting relationships with a number of specialty farmers around Half Moon Bay, and says "I can't explain how inspiring it is when farmers bring me an incredibly fresh product that's unique to their farm."

His collaboration with his partners Paul and Julie Shenkman on Sam’s Chowder House has been a real labor of love and a truly special project for Rossman. Growing up on the East Coast he has many wonderful memories of summers spent on the eastern seaboard and recollects sharing many great meals at the relaxed and laid-back fish houses on the Atlantic.  “When Paul first mentioned this project to me—I knew we had something special here. I’ve been in the Bay Area for more than ten years now and bringing this concept to the place we both call home means a lot to both of us,” says Rossman. “It’s also been a fantastic learning experience to be involved with something from the initial conception of the idea through the actual opening and seeing the project come to life.”

Rossman is responsible for overseeing the development, creation and execution of the menus at Sam’s Chowder House, as well as the items sold in the on-site market. He is working closely with the kitchen staff to ensure that the food and service mantra is about quality and consistency, and matches the high standards that he sets for himself and for his team. “Paul and I both take a lot of pride in giving our guests the best possible experience, and my goal is to make sure this carries through at Sam’s.”

The 32-year-old Rossman resides in San Francisco. When he is not in the kitchen at Sam’s, he loves to be outdoors, and enjoys surfing, hiking and skiing. He also loves traveling – and dining out. "I actually think about food all the time," he admits.