The only night Richard Reddington ate dinner at Grinnell’s, he was with his dad, and it was right around the time news leaked that the Michelin-starred chef was moving back to open a restaurant in the former 2Vine space downtown.
“This newscaster comes up to our table and says, ‘hey, can you come in and do an interview?’ and I’m like, ‘yeah, sure,’” said Reddington. “He walks away, and my dad, who’s lived here his whole life, goes, ‘Oh my god, that’s Don Alhart.’ And I said, ‘Dad, don’t get too excited. I’m probably not gonna do it.’”
(Spoiler: He didn’t do the interview.)
Roughly seven years later, Reddington is sitting close to that exact spot, he thinks, only instead of a small table he’s in a green leather corner booth, and his name is on the building outside.
General manager Doug Court brings a double shot of espresso to the table, Reddington knocks it back, we start the audio recording and he’s off. But he doesn’t tell the story chronologically, or even logically. Which makes a little sense when you’ve just worked 23 days in a row. And also when you own two restaurants in California (which closed in 2018 and 2020, respectively) that share names with your two restaurants in Rochester.
Between frequent asides of “off the record” during the interview, Reddington, a Pittsford native, weaves in strands from his many years in California and what finally brought him home. Like so many others who boomerang back to Rochester, it was family first. After his mom died, Reddington moved home to help his three siblings with their dad, and soon his part-time plan became full-time.
“My sisters used to cry because I’d be like, how old is Sadie? How old is Clara?” he said. “I was so focused on the restaurants I wasn’t visiting a lot, and they’d all come to California because it was a fun getaway. Now, I go to my niece’s basketball games. We had a family dinner last night.”
Next came the business opportunities. Redd Wood is Reddington’s second local venture; he opened Redd at 24 Winthrop Street with business partner Dennis Wilmot in 2019.
“Jerry (Vorrasi) was in Napa and he told me how 2Vine was closing, so I flew back to see it and we worked out a deal,” he said. “I wanted an existing space. I’m not interested in new construction.”
Reddington was in Mexico a few years later when he got the call about Grinnell’s. The much-loved Brighton restaurant that had been family owned and operated for 62 years before closing in July 2023. A business partnership with Marty O’Sullivan came about through mutual friends like chef Mark Cupolo of Rocco as well as a shared love of partying and basketball, and after the two looked at the space they decided to gut it and create Redd Wood.
O’Sullivan has been operating food truck fleet Marty’s Meats since 2012, but his only brick and mortar experience comes from a several-year stint on Park Avenue (in the space that’s currently home to Leonore’s).
“The opportunity to open a restaurant with a renowned chef like Richard, in an iconic space that has meant so much to the community and my family, was too hard to pass up,” said O’Sullivan, who works full-time in medical technology sales.
It’s been a bit of a family affair — O’Sullivan’s
wife, Laura Fox O’Sullivan, and her parents Bob and Linda Fox brought a love of contemporary art to the already-opulent interiors by Erin Martin Design and DJCA Cornerstone. Along the walls hang original pieces curated by Ronnen Fine Art, which provides services like installation and appraisal for collectors.
“It’s rare for a commercial venture to invest in original art, making this an especially exciting opportunity,” said Jennifer Burger, director of Ronnen Fine Art. “When (they) came to us with the idea, it was an immediate yes.”
The final collection includes several works by Sol LeWitt, whose “Wavy Horizontal Lines” (1996) creates a showstopping wall in the dining room; Erica Baum’s “Naked Eye” photo-based series (Baum will have a solo exhibit at the George Eastman Museum in November); and Mel Bochner’s “Thank You” (2024), a vibrant, cheeky, three-dimensional monoprint.
“Ultimately, the Redd Wood collection features works by some of the most important artists of the 20th and 21st centuries — pioneering figures in conceptual art — alongside a new generation of artists pushing boundaries in fresh and exciting ways,” said Burger.
Redd Wood began as a classic steakhouse concept, but shifted with the opening of SCN’s Patron Saint downtown and the close proximity of Max Chophouse on Monroe Avenue; Reddington saw, instead, an opportunity to lean into his French culinary roots (he worked at three-star Michelin spot Arpège in Paris and Le Moulin de Mougins in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region).
It’s training he has passed down to his longtime sous chef — and, with the opening of Redd Wood, now executive chef — Brad Pareira, who began his culinary journey in his hometown of Saranac Lake before moving to California and landing a job at Redd in Yountville in 2014.
“It was this crazy intense place,” said Pareira. “And I just kind of fell in love with it — what do they call it? Fatal attraction?”
Pareira was 21 at the time, and other than a brief stint at State Bird Provisions in San Francisco, he’s worked with Reddington for the last 11 years. When Reddington announced he was closing his California restaurants and relocating to Rochester in 2018, Pareira packed up his life as well, driving a U-Haul full of pots and pans across the country.
“I trust him. I knew that there would be growth for me, and I was ready for another start,” said Pareira, who, six years later is not only at the helm of two restaurants, but has made a new life here, including meeting his girlfriend and finding time to ski and travel.
The menu at Redd Wood has been a collaborative effort between Pareira, Reddington and O’Sullivan: Italian and French cuisine, complemented by an Old World-leaning wine list from sommelier Ian Criticos and tableside bar
cart service from bar manager Matt Koch. On the current menu are classics like pissaladière (a flatbread-like tart topped with onions and olives) and sweetbreads (calf or lamb organ meat with a smooth, creamy texture). Pareira’s favorite opening dish is the tuna crudo.
And even though it’s not a steakhouse, there’s a raw bar and an open hearth where nearby seated guests can watch their food prepared as a dinner theater of sorts.
“And of course, we’re selling a lot of steaks,” said Reddington, shaking his head.
But he’s adamant there won’t be a burger on the menu, even though O’Sullivan has attempted to change his mind. For Reddington, both Redd and Redd Wood are about raising standards in every way.
“I told my friends in California I think this is the best food I’ve been doing — ever,” he said, “Even with the Michelin stars.” reddwoodroc.com
Leah Stacy is the editor of CITY. She can be reached at leah@rochester-citynews.com.
This article appears in Dec 1-31, 2024.
