Our Staff

Chef – Ryan Zale

Ryan Zale is the Executive Chef at Local Chop and Grill House in downtown Harrisonburg.  Originally from Ohio, Ryan attended culinary school at PICA in Pittsburgh, PA. Following graduation, Ryan worked as the sous chef at the Pittsburgh Fish Market in Pittsburgh, the assistant banquet chef at the Villa Christina in Atlanta, Georgia, and the Executive Chef at Grille on Seventh in Pittsburgh.  Before moving to Harrisonburg, Ryan had the honor to be part of the staff at the Inn at Little Washington in Washington, Virginia.

General Manager – Amanda Zale

Through her many years of experience working in the restaurant business, Amanda has honed her skills as a mixologist, and, along with her managerial duties at The Local Chop & Grill House, she is responsible for creating exotic handcrafted drinks that often incorporate homemade juices from LOCAL fruits.

Sous Chef – Jarad Adams

My whole life I have been exposed to fresh foods, hard work, and the kitchen being the heart of the household. Both sides of my family have strong southern roots, and would make the best of simple ingredients. While growing up as a young boy my family and the neighbors had gardens to provide fresh vegetables. One neighbor had a massive garden and grew for his son’s steakhouse, and I would spend afternoons there “helping!” I did not realize it at the time but this was building the foundation for a future career. My culinary adventures started out of necessity, being an impoverished young adult I had to learn to make ramen noodles taste good more than three days a week. Upon the urgings of my roommates we began having dinner parties for our friends, me being the “chef.” Even more urging and being broke landed me as a dishwasher working at the Joshua Wilton House for the Moores. Under the tutelage of Chef Newsome and seven year tenure I advanced to Sous-chef and gained a solid skill-set that would prove invaluable for my next set of responsibilities. I moved on to the Staunton Grocery for three years and excelled as a Sous-chef, being promoted to Chef de Cuisine. The Wilton House and the Grocery built the structure for my belief in LOCAL, seasonal, and sustainable cooking; a philosophy that I now hold onto working again for the Moore family.

Pastry Chef – Elizabeth Stover

Elizabeth Stover is a native daughter of Rockingham County.  She always dreamed of becoming a pastry chef, but after high school attended Ball State University, Muncie, IN, and majored in public relations and political science.  She convinced herself that a practical application of her degree would be most responsible, and that there was always time to bake later.  On August 29, 2005, her world changed.

Elizabeth was searching for the “right” job in the wrong field when Hurricane Katrina barreled into the Gulf Coast.  She felt called to serve, and by September 2005 had accepted an AmeriCorps VISTA position to assist in the response and recovery to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

During the next two years, Elizabeth heard and witnessed thousands of stories from families and survivors who lost everything, including family, but still considered themselves blessed: blessed to have another day to put their feet in the sand, love their children, kiss their husbands, dance with their wives, devour their grandmother’s gumbo, blessed just to live another day, face a new challenge, achieve a dream.  Elizabeth was reminded all too often that life is fleeting and status and practicality can only take us only so far.  No one is promised a tomorrow, and we have to work our passions today.  Her passion was found in the kitchen.

Elizabeth began her formal training at the French Culinary Institute, New York, NY.  During her studies, Ms. Stover simultaneously worked as the in-house chef to The Community of the Holy Spirit and interned at the famous Upper West Side artisan bakery: The Silvermoon Bakery.

Immediately after graduation, she flew “across the pond” for an intensive two month internship at a fifth generation family run patisserie and bakery in Beziers, France.  Once she returned to the United States, Elizabeth moved south once again to work at Muriels Jackson Square in the famous French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana.

In April 2010, Elizabeth became the newest member of the Local Chop and Grill House kitchen.