Our Team

Meet some of the talented members of our family who brought our restaurants to life and who work behind the scenes for the entire group! And yes, we made some of them choose only one dish or drink recommendation, which is the equivalent to choosing your favorite child…

Josh Loeb - Co-Owner/Chairman of the Board
I make sure the spirit of Rustic Canyon goes through everything we do and support the amazing team we’ve put together since opening our first spot in 2006. I have a lot of wonderful memories of the restaurants, but my favorite is probably the day Zoe walked into Rustic Canyon for her interview for the first time.

Zoe Nathan - Co-Owner/Chief Creative Officer/Board Member
Not only is Zoe the chief creative officer and co-owner behind all of our spots, but she’s a talented baker and chef. We love this video of Zoe talking about the Gather For Good fundraising platform she started that’s centered around bake sales. It so perfectly captures the generosity and warmth you feel at our restaurants, and our commitment to giving back to our community.

Colby Goff - Co-Owner/Chief Financial Officer/Board Member
I get to hang out with the most creative, passionate group of thoughtful friends bringing hospitality, warmth and amazing tasting experiences to our diners. I also help think about how we apply the science of numbers to the business, so that we stay in business in a sustainable way, and so that we can keep hanging out. One of my favorite memories is opening night at Rustic Canyon in December of 2006. It was chaos, but it was a party. The POS system didn't connect to the printers in the kitchen, so no orders were fired correctly. Ultimately, the team simply passed dishes regardless of your order and everyone had a blast. I would never recommend just one dish, so I consider this a trick question, but if I had to choose, it would be Sweet Rose Creamery’s “Genius Bar.”     

Jeremy Fox - Chef/Partner - Rustic Canyon, Birdie G’s
Sometimes the care and precision isn’t always visible, but you know it’s hiding there in the background. This video of Jeremy perfectly dicing an onion beautifully captures his attention to detail and how he cultivates talent in the kitchen.

Laurel Almerinda - Pastry Chef/Partner - Huckleberry Bakery & Cafe
Laurel has been working at Huckleberry since day one and we’re thrilled to have her become the newest partner within our family. Over the years she’s held a variety of positions within our family as she’s grown with us, overseeing the bakery at Milo + Olive and the dessert programs for Rustic Canyon, and our former restaurants, Tallula’s and Cassia. She also co-authored Huckleberry: Stories, Secrets and Recipes from Our Kitchen, and we have sweet dreams about her Coffee Coffee Cake! 

Shiho Yoshikawa - Partner - Sweet Rose Creamery
As the founding chef, Shiho brought her love for peak-season ingredients and whimsical creativity to creating our ice cream flavors. The process is truly handmade and small-batch, as shown here in this video.

Wine Director Kathryn Coker & Tug Coker - Partners - Esters Wine Shop & Bar
Not only does Kathryn oversee the wine programs for all the restaurants in our group, but she runs Esters with her husband Tug. He perfectly likens the wine shop & bar to “a neighborhood clubhouse,” so take a tour in this little video with Kathryn. This creative couple also has a hilarious, inspiring and educational podcast called “The Long Finish,” that delves into what it’s like to keep Esters, their marriage and the kids alive, all while drinking a different bottle of wine.

Kelsey Brito - Pastry Chef/Partner - The Dutchess
Kelsey has been working with our group since 2012, when she joined Huckleberry Bakery & Cafe as a Morning Baker at the age of 19. After 5 years at Huckleberry and working her way up to Lead Baker & Pastry Sous, she left to go work at Tartine in San Francisco (where Zoe learned to bake). She just couldn’t quit us though, and rejoined the family in June 2019 to take over bakery operations at Milo + Olive where she baked up all manner of rustic pastries, cakes and pies and oversaw bread production for the whole restaurant group. The Dutchess marks her first foray as Partner, and you really shouldn’t leave this all-day bakery, cafe & restaurant without snagging one of her savory pastries or decadent cookies.

Saw Naing - Chef/Partner - The Dutchess
The Dutchess is also Saw’s first restaurant in a partnership role, and it’s a beautiful opportunity to explore and celebrate his Burmese heritage. He first joined our family in 2017 as Sous Chef at Tallula’s (our former Mexican restaurant), eventually working his way up to Chef de Cuisine and Executive Chef. It was after cooking a Burmese-Indian dinner with his mom for friends at the restaurant that he developed an insatiable curiosity for learning the cuisine of his birthplace and began experimenting with fun Burmese-Indian-Mexican mashups at Tallula’s. After leaving in 2020 to pursue the dream of opening his own restaurant, he reconnected with Zoe and Josh in Ojai and is now making his dream come true with us!

Brian Jacobs - CEO
Nothing makes me happier than supporting this team. Every day I get to try to make someone’s life a little bit better, add a little bit of joy, or make something run just a little bit smoother. In a career where our main focus is to care for people, it’s all those little pieces that add up to something truly special. My first dining experience with the group was at Birdie G’s in summer 2020—right smack dab in the middle of the pandemic. It was our first time out at a restaurant, but the team made us feel so welcomed and warm. It felt like we had been regulars there for years and we were able to have such a great night. Every time I have the matzo ball soup there, I’m transported back to my grandmother's house. There’s something special about that broth that feels like it’s a secret passed down from generation to generation.

Joel Dixon - Chief People & Culture Officer
My first memory was working with Zoe in the beginning of February 2009, weeks before opening Huckleberry. Zoe had just made English muffins and put together a new breakfast dish, Green Eggs & Ham, which was going to be a customer favorite for over a decade. I hadn't eaten eggs since I was 10 years old, but no one can refuse something that was made with that much love and thoughtfulness. I ate it, didn't even leave a crumb on my plate, and wanted more. I will always remember my first Green Eggs & Ham at Huckleberry. With so many great options to choose from, I land with the Garlic Knot at Milo + Olive. 

Monica Heffron - Director Of Financial Planning & Analysis
I wear a lot of hats! I love puttering around behind the scenes, trying to help each restaurant run at its best in various random ways. It's too hard to choose a favorite memory, so I'll describe my first! My mom and I visited Huckleberry for the first time years and years ago. We ordered food to eat there and a huge box of pastries to take home. We ended up eating almost all the pastries sitting at the table and barely had anything left to bring home. My ability to resist eating all the pastries from Huckleberry hasn't improved much since.

Taneshia Warren – Director of Marketing
I oversee all of our social media accounts across all platforms. I'm the person you go to capture an ambiance or setting, show off the perfect bite, or update you on all things relevant in pop culture. My first experience dining within the group was at Birdie G's with some friends a couple years back and I was OBSESSED. Everything was so good and so fresh, and the spot quickly became one of my favorites. The Pickle Chick from there is nuts. I've gotten lucky the past 2 times I've gone and gotten the last bird of the night, so working here was meant to be.

Chanel Ducharme - Director of Events
I’m the Director of Events & Catering for the Rustic Canyon Restaurant Group, and my job is to ensure that all your events and catering needs are taken care of while providing the best experience. One of my favorite dinners is special to me because it was at Birdie G’s, where I had the opportunity to bring my family together to celebrate my mom’s 65th birthday. Birdie’s is perfect for family reunions and birthday celebrations. I take great pride in making sure every event—whether it’s a graduation, birthday, engagement, or baby shower—is executed flawlessly and that everyone has a wonderful time. The best part of my job is receiving thank-you cards from guests after an event. It’s these little moments that keep me excited for the next celebration!

Kristin Shoffner - Events & Catering Manager My role is to plan, facilitate, and execute unforgettable events for the Rustic Canyon family of restaurants, ensuring every guest has a truly special experience. I’m especially passionate about transforming Birdie G’s into the ultimate event destination—offering a stunning venue paired with some of the best food in Los Angeles. My journey with Rustic Canyon began as a server at Birdie G’s, where I not only fell in love with hospitality but also met my now-husband. My first dinner out after moving to LA was on the Rustic Canyon patio in 2021, and I still remember the magic of the peas & white chocolate and the sourdough pasta. I bring that same sense of excitement and nostalgia into every event, infusing fun, whimsy, and warmth—like throwing a party at a friend’s house. With my background in theater, I love curating tailored event experiences, matching each guest to the perfect space, and creating moments that feel both seamless and spectacular.

Jesse Barber - Director of Culinary Operations
Classically trained in French cuisine, I’ve always believed in combining sophistication with an unpretentious approach in the kitchen. My focus on detail and commitment to keeping ingredients true, honest, and minimally processed has been the foundation of my culinary journey. My move to Los Angeles in 2009 marked a significant chapter in my career. As the opening Chef de Cuisine at The Tasting Kitchen in Venice, I led a talented team through countless late nights and early mornings, transforming the restaurant into one of GQ Magazine's “Top 10 Restaurants in America” and earning three James Beard Award nominations. These experiences shaped my approach to food and business, informed by my earlier work with Chef Thomas Keller at Bouchon Bistro and The French Laundry, and influenced my love for French, Italian, and Japanese cuisine. Joining the Rustic Canyon Family, particularly at Esters, has been a continuation of this journey, filled with growth, collaboration, and unforgettable moments. From launching a new French regional menu to mentoring rising chefs across our restaurants, I’ve been driven by a passion for pushing boundaries and creating environments where both staff and guests can thrive.

Derek Arnette - Controller & Director of New Ventures
I get to help keep the lights on! As Controller I'm lucky enough to work with the whole team, from chefs to managers to employees and vendors. Each restaurant is like it's own independent ecosystem, where people come to enjoy good company and amazing food. I like to think of the finance team as those microorganisms that nobody can see, but which play an important role in balancing the ecosystem. My first time having the meatloaf at Birdie G's was a game changer. I still get funny looks when I tell people about our new(ish) restaurant doing “meatloaf executed at a high level.” Cassia’s Spicy Wontons are so good that me and my fiancée named our Wi-Fi network after them.

Lily Richards - Staff Accountant
I handle the books! I prepare important financial documents, like P&L statements and balance sheets, to keep our restaurants cookin'. You could say I've got a lot on my plate (pun intended). I'm dedicated to thorough auditing, reporting and number crunching, so we're able to source high quality ingredients, work with our favorite small batch winemakers and more. The first time I dined at one of our RC Family restaurants, I was training as a host for Rustic Canyon. The food was so good, I had to stay for the next 5 years. (A nod to the long-term growth opportunities we like to provide our employees!) My absolute favorite dish is Milo + Olive's Mixed Mushroom Pizza. I've probably eaten it more times than I can count – and that's saying something.