Jess
has been working in the restaurant industry for over 12 years.
After studying food and beverage and labour costing at George
Brown College, Ostlund joined Ruth's Chris as the youngest chef
in the steak house chain. Chef Ostlund follows the K.I.S.S. philosophy
and has trained his kitchen team to follow this same motto while
enjoying each career day.
In his past-time, Jess enjoys camping, wood-working
and self defense. Grilling is a winning favourite of Chef Ostlund
during any season, however Japanese food takes a close second
place.
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April Kilpatrick has been a Sommelier at Ruth’s Chris Steak House for the past 7 years. As a member of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers and the International Sommelier Guild, Kilpatrick is rigorously pursuing a deeper knowledge of wine, working toward her Master Sommelier certification.
Kilpatrick discovered her passion for wine while on a mandatory excursion of a winery through a restaurant she worked at in St. Catharines. ‘That particular day, something clicked and I knew that I had to pursue this.’ Since then, that is exactly what she has done.
Since working at Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Kilpatrick has been fortunate enough to tour the wine regions of Napa Valley and Tuscany. ‘I have gained a deeper understanding of how food and wine together can be magical. For me, the greatest satisfaction comes from recommending a wine that goes great with a dish and seeing the pleasure on someone’s face. It’s the greatest job in the world!’
In November 2004, April won Ontario’s Best Sommelier through the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers. Participants were judged on several factors including a formal wine and menu pairing, blind tasting and service. The participants also sat a very difficult exam and provided corrections to an erroneous wine list.
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