Recovering Pentecostal. Non-Binary Human. Former Jew”ish” deli food truck owner. Lover of Taco Bell. Full of dad jokes and contradictions.
Working in the service industry is the only job I have ever had. It started off as a way to hang out with friends, get free food, flirt with pretty girls at the drive-thru window, and fuck around. But slowly over the years, it turned into my passion and career. My first job was at a local Dairy Queen, where I learned about consistency, fast-paced work, and showing up. After working in full service restaurants, I wanted to perfect my craft and chose to attend the Columbus Culinary Institute. From there, I studied the old-fashioned way by working in restaurants in Portland and Brooklyn.
I love it.
I love that you never stop learning. I love the families that are created. I love taking someone to a moment in childhood or a fond memory through a dish. I love the connections with guests. I love the story and history behind a dish or an ingredient. I love that meals and food bring people together. I love to teach and mentor my staff. I love to give back to my community because, without them, I wouldn't be where I am. I see that. I recognize that and I value it so very much. I love the lessons I have learned and the humility it has brought me. I love the adventure of it all.
Being true to myself has led me on a journey where I have found the ultimate happiness.
Ups and downs.
Throughout my career, I have had many ups and downs. I started off on my own by opening Challah, a Jew”ish” food truck in 2013, which led to great success. That journey led me to my first brick-and-mortar restaurant, Ambrose and Eve. At Ambrose, we took classic dishes you may have had growing up, or at your grandmother's house, and reinvented them with modern techniques and new ingredients. It was familiar enough to gain your trust, but out-of-the-box enough to get your attention. My work at Ambrose won me Best Chef 2019, Best New Restaurant 2019, and New York Times write-up. Ambrose was magical. I was able to create a safe space for my staff, where they could be themselves, and insert their ideas to grow as bartenders, cooks, and servers. We talked about our mental health and found ways to address the downside of the service industry in healthy ways. It was a family and it was beautiful.
Catie is currently
Chef de Cuisine
All Day Baby
3200 W Sunset Blvd
LA, CA 90026
We are a joyful feel-good restaurant, bakery & cocktail bar with the soul of a diner.
“We are thrilled beyond comprehension that Chef Catie Randazzo has joined our fam as Chef de Cuisine. We love their leadership so much already. You may know Chef Catie from Ohio, where they owned acclaimed restaurant, Ambrose and Eve, and Jew-ish food truck, Challah. OR! From television: They appeared on HBO's "The Big Brunch," hosted by @instadanjlevy.
Chef Catie is still rather new to LA! But in a mere nine months, Chef has fallen in love with LA, and guess what — they really, really like ADB, too. We're excited to see what the next half of 2023 will look like for our corner restaurant. Come on in, y'all, and meet Chef Catie!”
Life is funny.
Life is funny though, when you think you are at the top of your game, it likes to knock you the fuck down. As a new restaurant, we were not able to make it through the Covid pandemic and closed our doors, November 2020. But, the Ambrose family still exists and supports each other to this day. That bond cannot be broken and I’m proud of that.
As devastating as closing Ambrose & Eve was for me, as hard as it was to get up every day and shake off the feeling of failure, I did it. It took a long time. It wasn't easy. I wanted to give up on food and this thing that I love so much. Truth be told, I hated it for a minute. But through all of the pain and disappointment, I have become the best version of myself. I jokingly call myself Catie version 4.0. I have learned humility, I have learned how to create boundaries for myself, and I have learned that I have the most amazing set of friends and support system. No doubt, without them, I would not be here.
I have been able to take time to rediscover who I am and what I want from life. I have found a passion for nonprofit work and volunteering, where I can hopefully take the lessons I have learned, to empower and help others.
Catie is currently Chef de Cuisine at
All Day Baby on Sunset Blvd in LA
