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Meet Our Chef

Meet Chef Ethan McKee

Originally from Austin, Texas, Ethan McKee grew up around the restaurant business. His first job came at the age of 12, assisting his mother with her catering company. Ethan was just 17 when he landed his first cooking job, running the kitchen at a local sports bar, before he left to attend L'Academie de Cuisine, the Washington area's premier culinary school. After his graduation, Ethan spent a year working with Chef Bill Jackson at the Great American Restaurant Group's flagship restaurant Carlyle Grand.

In 1998 Ethan moved to Vail, Colorado where he spent two years honing his classic French technique at The Left Bank, Vail's top fine dining restaurant. Ethan returned to the D.C. area in 2000 for the opportunity to cook with Chef Todd Gray at the award-winning Equinox restaurant in downtown Washington, where he worked his way up from line cook to Chef de Cuisine. In the spring of 2007 Ethan was tapped to open the second Rock Creek restaurant location, building the restaurant's "mindful dining" concept into a fine dining destination. Under his direction, Rock Creek at Mazza Gallerie earned critical acclaim and a spot in the Washingtonian's "Top 100 Restaurants."

As Executive Chef of Circle Bistro, Ethan incorporates his classic French training with his understanding of a lighter cooking style to create outstanding bistro-style cuisine with a nod to his fine dining roots, while supporting local and sustainable products and producers.