Obadiah Ostergard, CEO, Left Bank Brassieries and LB Steak

Obadiah is responsible for all aspects of the Vine Hospitality operations overseeing the core values of the company: Drive Quality, Have Fun and Make it Happen! With over 20 years as a top hospitality executive, Obadiah Ostergard began his journey in the culinary industry as the Executive Chef at Gaylord’s in the historic Kilohana Plantation in Kauai, Hawaii. While working closely with the Owner and General Manager, Ostergard not only created and executed full-service lunch and dinner menus but also serviced banquet functions and weekly catering events. Shortly after, Ostergard decided to venture to Wilmington, Delaware where he was invited to open a café for MBNA America. He continued to grow within the company, moving on to roles of Executive Chef and Executive Catering Director, where he was responsible for overseeing event management for extravagant banquet functions. Ostergard continued to flourish in the hospitality industry—during his time in Delaware, he co-owned The Vault and Restaurant 821, both of which he lead as General Manager. He was able to conceptualize a creative business plan for Restaurant 821, creating a fine dining restaurant that featured locally grown ingredients. Restaurant 821 received multiple accolades from Philadelphia Magazine and Zagat as well as “3 Bells” by award-winning food critic, Craig Leban, for its sophisticated dining experience and notable, fresh dishes. Several years later, Ostergard moved to San Francisco to join the Kimpton Hotel and Restaurant Group, where he began as the General Manager of Kuleto’s Trattoria in Burlingame and later transitioned to the San Francisco location on Powell Street. After Kuleto’s, he managed the Fifth Floor Restaurant at the Hotel Palomar and was eventually promoted to Director of Operations for Kimpton Restaurants where he led the reconception efforts of restaurants such as Ponzu and Jasper’s Corner Tap and Kitchen. Prior to taking over as CEO for the founder of Left Bank Ed Levine, Ostergard was the President of Au Bon Repas as San Francisco-based restaurant group which includes Cafe Claude, Gaspar and Gitane restaurants where he oversaw all aspects of operations.