Guest Chefs at Gather55

Each month, Gather55 welcomes a guest chef to craft a limited-run dinner menu that reflects their story and culinary point of view. Your reservation helps power our daytime community café and Hands On Hartford’s food access programs. Thank you for dining with purpose.

August's Guest Chef

Chef Roshara "Ro" Sanders

Culinary Institute of America

Chef Roshara Sanders of Culinary Institute of America

Passion. Perseverance. Purpose. 

We're honored to welcome Chef Roshara "Chef Ro" Sanders as our Guest Chef on August 12th!
Chef Ro's journey is one of passion, perseverance, and purpose. A decorated U.S. Army veteran, Food Network Chopped Military Veterans Champion, and Assistant Professor of Culinary Arts at the Culinary Institute of America, she has built an incredible career rooted in resilience, creativity, and community.
As CIA's first African American female culinary instructor, Chef Ro is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of chefs while celebrating the stories, cultures, and traditions that food brings to the table.
Throughout the month, you'll get to experience Chef Ro's culinary vision right here with us. We can't wait to share more about the menu she's creating and the inspiration behind it.

Please join us in giving Chef Ro a warm welcome! 

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Hands On Hartford

Featured Dishes:

What the Ground Remembered

Heirloom Cherry Tomato and Bing Cherry Salad with Whipped Ricotta, Citrus Dressing, and Okra Gremolata

Smoke and Soil

Lamb Chop with Mojo Rojo, Fried Potatoes, and Charred Scallion Relish

Somebody's Grandmother Made This

Spiced Rum Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Mousse, Dark Rum Glaze, and Warm Spices

Make your Reservation Here!
Guest Chefs
Guest Chefs
Guest Chefs

Recently Featured

Chef Ro

Chef Roshara Sanders

Culinary Institute of America

RyanVanGrouw

Chef Ryan Van Grouw

No Mames Mexican Cantina, Wethersfield

May Guest Chefs

Chefs Michelle Sosoranga, Dylan Goff, Marco Morerira, and Joann Makovitzky

Community Table, New Preston

Upcoming Guest Chefs

July 2026

Chefs Jeremy Williams and Patti Meza

For July, we are highlighting our Executive and Sous Chef's brilliance and dedication to Gather55 and the mission we stand to achieve!

August 2026

Chef Roshara Sanders

Chef Roshara Sanders of the Culinary Institute of America will be Gather55's August guest chefs.

Previous Guest Chefs

For more information on our Guest Chefs and their restaurants, click the + icon

2026

The Laurel (Chef Ashley Flagg)
Chef Ashley Flagg
Carbone's (Chef Vinnie Carbone)
Chef Vinnie Carbone
Mancora Restobar (Chef Omar Soriano)
Chef Omar Soriano
Café Louise (Chef Don Fritz)
Chef Don Fritz
The Culinary Team at Community Table
Community Table Culinary Team
No Mames Mexican Cantina (Chef Ryan Van Grouw)
Chef Ryan Van Grouw
The Gather55 Culinary Team
Gather55 Culinary Team
Culinary Institute of America: Chef Roshara Sanders

Chef Roshara Sanders

Chef Roshara Sanders

2025

Aroy Thai Garden (Chef Lapat)
Chef Lapat Watrous
Gveenah (Chef Roi Graber)
Chef Roi Graber
Port of Call (Chef Renee Touponce)
Chef Renee Touponce
Shipwright's Daughter (Chef David Standridge)
Chef David Standridge
Whitecrest Eatery (Chef Johan Jensen)
Chef Johan Jensen
29 Markle Ct (Chef Damon Sayer)
Chef Damon Sawyer
Members of the Gather55 Shared Kitchen
Daneka Arroyo, Soulvadorian
Izolde Miranda, Samba Cuisine
Mimi Cheung, Black Sesame Bakery
July 2025 Guest Chefs
Hands On Hartford (Chef Danielle Soto)

Hands On Hartford

Chef Danielle Soto
Grano Arso (Chef Joel Gargano)
Chef Joel Gargano
At the Corner (Chef Carlos Perez)
Chef Carlos Perez
Chef Terry Walters

Author

Nourish: Plant-Based Recipes to Feed Body, Mind, and Soul
Chef Terry Walters

2024

Henry Provisions (Chef Allison Frey)
Sparrow (Chef Adam Greenberg)
Chef Adam Greenberg
Le Mazet (Chef Joe Cusano)
Chef Joe Cusano
Market Restaurant Group (Chef Zach Shuman)
Chef Zach Shuman
Union Kitchen (Chef Tim East)
Chef Tim East
Max Downtown (Chef Chris Sheehan)
Chef Chris Sheehan” width=
The Charles (Chef Tom Kaldy)
Chef Tom Kaldy” width=
Ani's Table and Marketplace (Chef Ani Robaina)
Chef Ani Robaina” width=
Zephyr's Pizza (Chef Dante Cistulli)
Chef Dante Cistulli” width=
Frida (Chef Israel Sanchez)
Chef Israel Sanchez” width=
City Kebab House (Chef Haydar Sharipov)
Chef Haydar Sharipov” width=

2023

Tavern on State (Chef Emily Mingrone)
Chef Emily Mingrone” width=
The Place 2 Be (Chef Xavier Santiago)
Chef Xavier Santiago” width=
Chef Prasad Chirnomula

Prasad Chirnomula

Chef Prasad Chirnomula” width=
The Laurel (Chef Ashley Flagg & Chef Kristen Eddy)
Chef Ashley Flagg and Kristen Eddy” width=
Zohara (Chef Scott Miller & Chef Lou Fiore)
Chef Scott Miller and Lou Fiore” width=
Fire x Forge (Chef Andy Perri)
Chef Andy Perri” width=
Present Company (Chef Jeff Lizotte)
Chef Jeff Lizotte” width=
The Beamhouse (Chef Jesse Powers)
Chef Jesse Powers” width=
Chef Ale Leiva
Millwright's Restaurant (Chef Tyler Anderson)
Chef Tyler Anderson
Gather55 (Chef Rob Maffucci)
Chef Robert Maffucci” width=

2022

Millwright's Restaurant (Chef Tyler Anderson)
Chef Tyler Anderson
Restaurant Bricco (Chef Billy Grant)
Chef Billy Grant

Previous Guest Chefs

2026

January: Chef Ashley Flagg

The Laurel, West Hartford

Chef Ashley Flagg
February: Chef Vinnie Carbone

Carbone’s, West Hartford

Chef Vinnie Carbone
March: Chef Omar Soriano

Mancora Restobar, Hartford

Chef Omar Soriano
April: Chef Don Fritz

Café Louise, Hartford

Chef Don Fritz
May: Chefs Michelle Sosoranga, Dylan Goff, Marco Morerira, and Joann Makovitzky

Community Table, New Preston

Community Table Culinary Team
June: Chef Ryan Van Grouw

No Mames Mexican Cantina

Chef Ryan Van Grouw

2025

January: Chef Lapat

Aroy Thai Garden, Middletown

Chef Lapat Watrous
February: Chef Roi Graber

Gveenah, West Hartford

Chef Roi Graber
March: Chef Renee Touponce

Port of Call, Mystic

Chef Renee Touponce
April: Chef David Standridge

The Shipwright’s Daughter, Mystic

Chef David Standridge
May: Chef Johan Jensen

Whitecrest Eatery, Stonington

Chef Johan Jensen
June: Chef Damon Sayer

29 Markle Ct, Bridgeport

Chef Damon Sawyer
July: Chef Daneka Arroyo, Chef Izolde Miranda, & Chef Mimi Cheung
Daneka Arroyo, Soulvadorian
Izolde Miranda, Samba Cuisine
Mimi Cheung, Black Sesame Bakery
July 2025 Guest Chefs
August: Chef Danielle Soto

Hands On Hartford

Chef Danielle Soto
September: Chef Joel Gargano

Grano Arso, Chester

Chef Joel Gargano
October: Chef Carlos Perez

At The Corner, Litchfield

Chef Carlos Perez
November: Terry Walters

Author

Nourish: Plant-Based Recipes to Feed Body, Mind, and Soul
Chef Terry Walters

2024

January: Chef Allison Frey
Henry Provisions, Haddam
February: Chef Adam Greenberg

Sparrow, West Hartford

Chef Adam Greenberg
March: Chef Joe Cusano

Le Mazet, West Hartford

Chef Joe Cusano
April: Chef Zach Shuman

Market Restaurant Group

Chef Zach Shuman
May: Chef Tim East

Union Kitchen, West Hartford

Chef Tim East
June: Chef Chris Sheehan

Max Downtown, Hartford

Chef Chris Sheehan” width=
July & August: Chef Tom Kaldy

The Charles, Wethersfield

Chef Tom Kaldy” width=
September: Chef Ani Robaina

Ani's Table and Marketplace, Rocky Hill

Chef Ani Robaina” width=
October: Chef Dante Cistulli

Zephyr’s Pizza, West Hartford

Chef Dante Cistulli” width=
November: Chef Israel Sanchez

Frida, West Hartford

Chef Israel Sanchez” width=
December: Chef Haydar Sharipov

City Kebab House, Hartford

Chef Haydar Sharipov” width=

2023

January: Chef Emily Mingrone

Tavern on State, New Haven

Chef Emily Mingrone” width=
February: Chef Xavier Santiago

The Place 2 Be

Chef Xavier Santiago” width=
March: Chef Prasad Chirnomula

Prasad Chirnomula

Chef Prasad Chirnomula” width=
April: Chef Ashley Flagg & Chef Kristen Eddy

The Laurel, West Hartford

Chef Ashley Flagg and Kristen Eddy” width=
May: Chef Scott Miller & Chef Lou Fiore

Zohara, West Hartford

Chef Scott Miller and Lou Fiore” width=
June: Chef Andy Perri

Fire x Forge, Hartford

Chef Andy Perri” width=
July & August: Chef Jeff Lizotte

Present Company, Tariffville

Chef Jeff Lizotte” width=
September: Chef Jesse Powers

The Beamhouse, Glastonbury

Chef Jesse Powers” width=
October: Chef Ale Leiva
November: Chef Tyler Anderson

Millwright's Restaurant, Simsbury

Chef Tyler Anderson
December: Chef Rob Maffucci

Gather55, Hartford

Chef Robert Maffucci” width=

2022

October: Chef Tyler Anderson

Millwright's Restaurant, Simsbury

Chef Tyler Anderson
November: Chef Billy Grant

Restaurant Bricco, West Hartford

Chef Billy Grant