Executive Chef & Operator of Restaurants at 85 10th
After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, Melissa Rodriguez started her professional culinary career with Elaine Bell Catering and at Oceana. In 2006, she was hired as a line cook at Daniel Boulud’s flagship Restaurant Daniel, where she quickly rose the ranks to sous chef. After five years at Daniel, Melissa joined the team at Del Posto where she was soon promoted to Chef de Cuisine. Two years later, Melissa was named Executive Chef, making her the first woman at the helm of a restaurant awarded four stars by the New York Times. Like most New York restaurants, Del Posto closed in March 2020. In the summer of 2020, Melissa partnered with Restaurateur Jeff Katz–with whom she worked for almost a decade at Del Posto to acquire the space previously occupied by Del Posto at 85 Tenth Avenue. In 2022, the team opened a trio of restaurants in that space: a fine Italian restaurant called Al Coro; a subterranean cocktail bar called Discolo; and a pizza restaurant next door called Mel’s. Just months after its opening, Al Coro was awarded two Michelin stars. In 2023, Melissa and Jeff partnered with the global restaurant group Tao Hospitality to conceptualize and launch a wood-fired grill-based restaurant, along with a members-only club, Crane Club Restaurant, and Crane Club Members Lounge.
Originally from Long Island, NY, Katalina has built her career over many years in the renowned pastry kitchen of Daniel Boulud’s Michelin-starred Restaurant Daniel. Since joining the pastry department in 2017, she became Pastry Sous Chef in 2019 and Pastry Executive Sous Chef in 2021, working under Executive Pastry Chef Shaun Velez. With meticulous attention to detail, Katalina also brings a creative spirit to the Café Boulud pastry program. Katalina is a graduate of Baking and Pastry Arts from the Culinary Institute of America.
