Rachelle Murphy is Leaving Rood to Become Culinary Director at Seasoned Brands, Parent Co. of Aladdin's

Chef Rachelle Murphy moved to Cleveland from Seattle three years ago after having never even visited the state. She settled in at Rood (17001 Madison Ave., 216-712-4506) in Lakewood, where she helped guide that popular restaurant into its current chapter. Following this Saturday night’s service, Murphy is off to begin her next adventure.

“It’s super bittersweet – I don’t want to leave at all – but it’s one of those things I have to force myself to do because I know that to move forward in my career and be more successful, that’s the route I need to take,” explains the young chef. “At Rood, there’s really no more left for me to do. The things that I am wanting to do, I don’t necessarily have the team to do those things. So it’s getting to where I’m almost hitting a wall in a sense.”

Murphy has accepted a position at Seasoned Brands, the parent company of Taza, Boaz, Sittoo’s, Oak Barrel, Forage and more than two dozen Aladdin’s Eateries. As that local organization’s Culinary Director, Murphy hopes to acquire a different set of skills that will help her achieve her professional goals.

“Since I was a young kid, my goal has always been to own my own restaurant by the time I was 30,” she notes. “I’m six years away from that goal and I really feel that joining Seasoned Brands as Culinary Director is going to help me achieve that goal. I’ll learn a lot more of the administrative side of things and that’s not something you learn while being in a kitchen every day.”

After Murphy’s departure, Rood’s kitchen will be in the hands of Josh Erickson of Mobius Foods.

Subscribe to Cleveland Scene newsletters.