Rob Rubba
{{Short description|American chef}}
Rob Rubba is an American chef. He grew up in New Jersey and his first chef job was in the pastry department of the Mohegan Sun resort and casino in Connecticut. He worked for Todd English in Connecticut, for Gordon Ramsay in New York City, and for Charlie Trotter and Guy Savoy in Las Vegas before opening his own restaurant, Hazel, in Washington, D.C. in 2016.{{cite news |last1=Sidman |first1=Jessica |title=Every Dish Has a Backstory at Hazel, Now Open in Shaw |url=https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/195930/hazel-restaurant-opens-in-shaw/ |work=Washington City Paper |date=29 June 2016 |access-date=13 June 2023 |archive-date=11 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220811184404/https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/195930/hazel-restaurant-opens-in-shaw/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Hayes |first1=Laura |title=Frying Solo: A Conversation with Rob Rubba of Hazel |url=https://wjla.com/dc-refined/frying-solo-a-conversation-with-rub-rubba-of-hazel |work=WJLA |date=27 June 2016 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Baker |first1=Abbe |title=Behind the Bib: Hazel in Washington, D.C. |url=https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/article/dining-out/behind-the-bib-hazel-in-washington-d-c |work=MICHELIN Guide |date=17 October 2017}}
Hazel was recognized as the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington’s New Restaurant of the Year in 2017, and was named to the Michelin Guide's Bib Gourmand list for 2018. Rubba left Hazel in June 2018 after he gave up eating meat.{{cite news |last1=Rojas |first1=Warren |title=Hazel Founder Rob Rubba Is Leaving the Award-Winning Shaw Restaurant on June 10 |url=https://dc.eater.com/2018/6/7/17439028/rob-rubba-hazel-leaving |work=Eater DC |date=7 June 2018 |language=en |access-date=13 June 2023 |archive-date=26 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230526154714/https://dc.eater.com/2018/6/7/17439028/rob-rubba-hazel-leaving |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Sidman |first1=Jessica |title=Oyster Oyster Will Bring "Vegetable Cookery" to Shaw By Summer - Washingtonian |url=https://www.washingtonian.com/2019/01/08/oyster-oyster-will-bring-vegetable-cookery-to-shaw-by-summer/ |work=Washingtonian |date=8 January 2019 |access-date=13 June 2023 |archive-date=26 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326092413/https://www.washingtonian.com/2019/01/08/oyster-oyster-will-bring-vegetable-cookery-to-shaw-by-summer/ |url-status=live }}
In 2020, Rubba opened a new restaurant in Washington called Oyster Oyster, with a menu featuring sustainable ingredients, including oyster mushrooms and true oysters, the only animal on the menu.{{cite news |last1=Sietsema |first1=Tom |title=Review {{!}} Oyster Oyster, meatless and marvelous, has become one of D.C.'s best restaurants |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/oyster-oyster-restaurant-review/2021/09/09/3e34222c-0cd1-11ec-aea1-42a8138f132a_story.html |newspaper=Washington Post |date=13 September 2021 |access-date=13 June 2023 |archive-date=31 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331141527/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/oyster-oyster-restaurant-review/2021/09/09/3e34222c-0cd1-11ec-aea1-42a8138f132a_story.html |url-status=live }} Oyster Oyster was named one of the best new restaurants in America by Esquire.{{cite news |title=Esquire's Best New Restaurants in America, 2021 |url=https://www.esquire.com/food-drink/restaurants/a38254590/best-new-restaurants-in-america-2021/ |work=Esquire |date=18 November 2021 |access-date=13 June 2023 |archive-date=9 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609175136/https://www.esquire.com/food-drink/restaurants/a38254590/best-new-restaurants-in-america-2021/ |url-status=live }} In 2022, the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star.{{cite news |last1=Monaco |first1=Emily |title=DC Diners, Meet Your Four New Michelin-Starred Restaurants |url=https://www.insidehook.com/article/food-drink-washington-dc/dc-four-new-michelin-restaurants |work=InsideHook |date=6 May 2022 |access-date=13 June 2023 |archive-date=8 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308181714/https://www.insidehook.com/article/food-drink-washington-dc/dc-four-new-michelin-restaurants |url-status=live }}
Rubba was named 2022 Chef of the Year by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington.{{cite news |last1=Sidman |first1=Jessica |title=Here Are the Restaurant and Bar Industry Winners for DC's 2022 RAMMY Awards - Washingtonian |url=https://www.washingtonian.com/2022/07/24/here-are-the-restaurant-and-bar-industry-winners-for-dcs-2022-rammy-awards/ |work=Washingtonian |date=25 July 2022 |access-date=13 June 2023 |archive-date=29 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230129062115/https://www.washingtonian.com/2022/07/24/here-are-the-restaurant-and-bar-industry-winners-for-dcs-2022-rammy-awards/ |url-status=live }} Later that year, he was recognized by Food & Wine as one of the country's Best New Chefs.{{cite news |last1=Shah |first1=Khushbu |title=Food & Wine Best New Chefs 2022: Rob Rubba |url=https://www.foodandwine.com/chefs/best-new-chefs-2022-rob-rubba |work=Food & Wine |date=12 September 2022 |language=en |access-date=13 June 2023 |archive-date=12 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230512200225/https://www.foodandwine.com/chefs/best-new-chefs-2022-rob-rubba |url-status=live }} In 2023, he won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Chef.{{cite news |last1=Heil |first1=Emily |title=D.C. chef Rob Rubba of plant-based Oyster Oyster nabs top Beard award |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2023/06/06/rob-rubba-oyster-oyster-james-beard-award/ |newspaper=Washington Post |date=6 June 2023}}{{Cite news |last=Moskin |first=Julia |date=2023-06-06 |title=The Full List of the 2023 James Beard Chef and Restaurant Award Winners |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/05/dining/2023-james-beard-award-chef-restaurant-winners.html |access-date=2023-06-06 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=2023-06-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606033118/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/05/dining/2023-james-beard-award-chef-restaurant-winners.html/ |url-status=live }}