Acclaimed Chef Jon Nodler is announcing a move back to Madison, Wisconsin where he will be joining the Rule No One Hospitality Group (RNO) as a Culinary Director of Research Development. Jon will oversee the creation of the culinary vision of each of RNO’s restaurants working alongside the team to curate every aspect of the customer experience.
Chef Nodler’s first task will be centered around the renovation and relaunch of Merchant in early 2022, an extraordinary homecoming as Jon worked at Merchant early in his career as an opening line cook in 2010 and then Executive Chef for Merchant in 2012.
Jon has been one of Madison’s most esteemed alumni becoming a James Beard nominated semi-finalist nationally recognized chef at some of the finest restaurants in the country.
A native of the greater Minneapolis area, Chef Nodler attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he studied functional ceramics, Chinese Language and art. Influenced by his studies, he brings an unusually commanding and creative aesthetic eye to the kitchen. Nodler got his start in professional kitchens at The Madison Club, under Chef Dan Fox.
After working at Merchant, Jon moved to Philadelphia with his wife, Samantha Kincaid, and joined Fork restaurant in late 2012, shortly after co-owner Ellen Yin brought in chef-owner Eli Kulp, which is among Philadelphia’s most popular and enduring restaurants. Chef Nodler quickly earned his way up the ranks, and the following year, when Yin and Chef Kulp began redeveloping their market-cafe, Fork:etc., into High Street on Market, Chef Nodler worked alongside Chef Kulp, heading critical research and development. His role with the company expanded as they did, and he oversaw the openings and operations of High Street Hospitality Restaurants.
Chef Nodler was the Chef de Cuisine at HSHG’s High Street on Market and a. kitchen + bar. Chef Nodler was a James Beard Foundation nominated semi-finalist for “Rising Star Chef '' in 2015, and Fork was a semifinalist for “Outstanding Restaurant” in both 2014 and 2015. High Street on Market was named The Inquirer’s “Restaurant of the Year'' in 2014, and Bon Appetit named it #2 in the country in their annual “America’s Best New Restaurants” issue in 2014. The same year, Chef Nodler was named one of Zagat’s “30 Under 30” culinary talents to watch. Travel + Leisure named High Street one of the best new restaurants in the world in 2015, and Wine Enthusiast named a. Kitchen “One of America’s Best Wine Restaurants” in 2015 and 2016.
In 2015, Chef Nodler led the development and opening of the group’s NYC project, High Street On Hudson, while transitioning into the Culinary Director role for High Street Hospitality. High Street on Hudson debuted in December 2016 and received a roster of accolades: The New York Times’ Pete Wells called it “an adventurous and often exciting restaurant...[it] doesn’t just put on a show at night and wait for you to be impressed...[they] understand that coffee and a great pastry can be just as meaningful before noon as an artfully plated duck breast is after dark.” Wells and the New York Times awarded High Street on Hudson a “Two Stars Critic’s Pick” rating and named the Seaweed Buccatini with Lobster Bottarga one of the “top 10 restaurant dishes of the year.” Steve Cuozzo of the New York Post called it “the year’s best new restaurant” and a “culinary miracle.” Meanwhile, Food & Wine named it a Best New Restaurant 2016. As the Executive Chef and Culinary Director for High Street Hospitality Group (High Street on Market, High Street on Hudson, a. kitchen + bar), Jon Nodler was awarded Star Chef’s NYC “Rising Star Chef 2017” for his work at their New York outpost.
After working alongside each other, Chef Nodler and his wife, Samantha Kincaid, the company pastry chef for HSHG, decided to step out on their own and open Cadence in 2018. With a service model that reflects the approachability and feel of the neighborhood that Cadence is home to, the cuisine takes a chef-driven approach to wood and charcoal cooking. Prior to the pandemic, Cadence was a dinner-only restaurant offering a contemporary four-course fixed price menu that rotated frequently and showcased the bounty of the Mid-Atlantic. After receiving local and national accolades, Cadence earned Food & Wine Magazine’s “#1 Best New Restaurant” in 2019.
Media Contacts:
Joshua Berkson, President, Rule No. One Hospitality, Founder, Cook It Forward, josh@rulenoone.com, (646) 221-4022