Chef & Staff

Kelly McCown

Executive Chef

As executive chef of The Kitchen, Kelly McCown oversees the entire food program of this celebrated institution. From menu development and ingredient quality control to the hands-on preparation and narration of dinner, McCown’s domain is not only in the kitchen but also in front of guests, for whom he strives to provide an unforgettable experience.

Upon completion of his culinary training at the California Culinary Academy, McCown honed his craft in some of San Francisco’s finest kitchens, including Michelin-starred La Folie and the lauded Fleur de Lys.

McCown developed his pastry skills at the Alexis Hotel in Seattle. In 1992, McCown joined trendsetting, Michelin-rated chef Scott Carsberg as his sous chef to open the award-winning Lampreia. The James Beard Foundation’s celebrated Flying Fish followed, where McCown presided as chef de cuisine. While there, Bon Appetit and Seattle magazines accorded him “rising star” chef status, and the Seattle Times characterized McCown’s cuisine as “richly flavored meals that offer both comfort and complexity.”

Returning to California in 1999, he assumed the post of executive sous chef at Wine Spectator’s Greystone Restaurant at the Culinary Institute of America. McCown then followed acclaimed chef Todd Humphries to work with master restaurateur Pat Kuleto to open the renowned Napa Valley restaurant Martini House in St. Helena. As chef de cuisine, McCown guided the culinary program to many accolades, including Esquire magazine’s award for top new restaurants in America, Bon Appetit’s Best of 2002, the San Francisco Chronicle’s Top Five Restaurants for New American Cuisine, and one star from the Michelin Guide.

After his tenure at Martini House, McCown developed the culinary program for Francis Ford Coppola’s Rubicon Estate at the historic Inglenook Chateau in the heart of Napa Valley. McCown’s work at the winery received exceptional reviews. Additionally, he was the only American chef invited to Tokyo’s Cirque Culinaire in 2008.

In 2009, McCown joined Selland Family Restaurants to helm Ella Dining Room and Bar in downtown Sacramento, where he received accolades for his work from The Sacramento Bee, Sacramento Magazine, Food Arts, and The New York Times. In 2011, McCown returned to the Napa Valley to open the critically acclaimed Goose & Gander, which earned a Bib Gourmand from Michelin and was named one of the top 10 Restaurants in Napa Valley by Condé Nast Traveler and The New York Times.

Since returning to The Kitchen in 2014, McCown and his team have garnered several high-profile awards, including the Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence, OpenTable Top 100 Restaurants in America, Yelp Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S., USA Today’s Top 30 Restaurants in America, DiRoNA Distinguished Restaurant, a place on La Liste 1000, the highly prized AAA Five Diamond Award of Excellence, and the first Michelin Star awarded in the Sacramento region.

Kelly Westcott

General Manager

Kelly Westcott joined The Kitchen team in 2019, bringing ease and affability as she quickly rose to general manager. 

Growing up in the Fair Oaks district of Sacramento, Westcott found an initial love in collegiate sports, earning a full scholarship for basketball to the University of Alaska, in 2011. During her time there, her leadership qualities began to take shape, as she was appointed Student Athlete Ambassador, between 2011-2015.

After graduating from the University of Alaska in 2015, with a degree in Journalism, Westcott became a part of the executive team at Entercom Radio. With a focus on marketing, Westcott help guide the six-station, Sacramento-based communications company to many accolades including multiple Edward R. Murrow Awards for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism and the NBA Marconi Award of Excellence. Additionally, Westcott aided in the philanthropic efforts of Entercom, providing over $100 million in annual Sacramento area support for charitable organizations.

In 2019, Westcott decided to parlay her considerable success in journalism into a new passion for the hospitality industry. Joining the team at The Kitchen Restaurant, she quickly rose through the ranks to assume the position of general manager in 2024. Westcott has become a guiding force, assisting Chef Kelly McCown in the continued success of the Selland family’s Sacramento institution.

Guiovanni Sarmiento

Chef de Cuisine

Guiovanni Sarmiento began his culinary career in 2008 at the Segundo Cabezas Culinary Academy, founded by one of Colombia’s leading culinary figures, chef Segundo Cabezas.  

Upon graduation, Sarmiento worked at two of Colombia’s most prestigious hotels, the Cosmos 100 in Bogotá, where he was chef de partie, and the Capilla Del Mar in Cartagena, where he worked as sous chef under chef Ismael Lopez.

In 2012, with a desire to learn different cuisines and cultures, Sarmiento accepted the post of sous chef under chef Christian Rossit at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in the heart of the French Quarter, New Orleans, garnering accolades from Forbes Traveler, AAA Travel Guide, and Tripadvisor.

Moving West to California in 2014, Sarmiento expanded his experience as a sous chef at the Moana Group’s Corners Tavern in Walnut Creek. Working for two years under the tutelage of chef Gavin Schmidt, Sarmiento began a desire to delve deeper into regional California cuisine, resulting in a raving review from then San Francisco Chronicle food critic, Michael Bauer.

From Corners Tavern, Chef Sarmiento began his tenure at The Kitchen, rising through the ranks to become chef de cuisine. He has aided chef Kelly McCown in guiding the culinary program of one of the region’s premier restaurants to many accolades, including the first Michelin Star in the Sacramento area.

David Rodriguez

Pastry Chef

Pastry Chef David Rodriguez brings over twenty years of experience and talent to Sacramento’s The Kitchen. 

After completing his Patisserie and Baking certificate at the California School of Culinary Arts in Pasadena in 2004, he began his culinary journey under Chefs Michael Cimarusti and Adrian Vasquez at Los Angeles’s two Michelin-starred restaurant, Providence, where his culinary prowess began to take shape.

As David’s talents continued to grow, he moved on to XIV Michael Mina to work under acclaimed and notorious Chef Jordan Kahn as pastry sous chef. In 2010, David followed Chef Kahn to open the “edgy” and trend-setting Red Medicine in Beverly Hills, where Rodriguez presided as pastry chef.

Looking for greater opportunity, Rodriguez returned to where it began, at Providence, where he assumed the role of executive pastry chef. While there, Rodriguez was integral in the restaurant’s continued two Michelin star rating and received accolades from Food and Wine Magazine, Star Chefs, and the Los Angeles Times, including rising star status and Best New Pastry Chef in 2012 and 2014.

In 2014, Rodriguez took his considerable skills to Southern California’s beloved Heirloom LA, where he presided as executive pastry chef, garnering glowing reviews from the Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times.

Esra Oktar

Beverage Director

Beverage Director Esra Oktar joined The Kitchen in 2017, working alongside executive chef Kelly McCown to ensure the highest standard of excellence in service and hospitality—a trademark of the Selland family’s flagship restaurant.

Growing up in her family-owned restaurant in Cocoa Beach, Fla., placed Oktar on track for a career in hospitality. While in college, Oktar worked closely with renowned restaurateurs David and Elizabeth Gwynn at the highly lauded Cypress Restaurant in Tallahassee, furthering her love and aptitude for the service industry.

In 2009, Oktar found herself at the chef Mark Sullivan-helmed Michelin-starred Village Pub, just outside of San Francisco. Oktar served as an assistant sommelier under Michael Acheson and beverage director Andrew Green. While assisting in the beverage program, the restaurant received accolades from the San Francisco Chronicle, Forbes, 7×7 Magazine, and the Wine Spectator’s Grand Award.

In 2013, Oktar followed chefs Molly Hawks and Mike Fagnoni from The Village Pub to the highly regarded Hawks in Granite Bay, Ca., becoming general manager. While at Hawks, Oktar guided the service to a three-and-a-half-star review from the Sacramento Bee and a top spot on Sacramento Magazine’s Best of Sacramento list. In 2015, Oktar helped launch Hawks Provisions and Public House, garnering a glowing recommendation from respected restaurant critic Michael Bauer of the San Francisco Chronicle.

In her time at The Kitchen, Oktar has continued the legacy of an award-winning beverage program and has been stalwart in the enduring hospitality of one of the region’s most cherished restaurants.