Dan Raia Sous Chef  

I was five years old when my father pulled a milk crate up to the kitchen counter, stood me up on it, and taught me the secrets of my grandfather’s famous pizza. Famous in our family, at least. Kneading the dough, I thought, “Hey, I can do this. I’ve been practicing in pre-school.” Well, I cooked with my father all the way up until I entered the Culinary Institute of America, and I am grateful for his patient teachings, as they became the building blocks for everything I have learned since. Once I graduated, I had the good fortune to work in some of the kitchens of the most respected chefs in Boston: Jody Adams at Rialto, Dante de Magistris at blu and Nick Calias at Compass. In addition to working with Jess on the Sunday Supper menus, another thing I really enjoy is manning the table at the off-site charitable events that we do. When I’m not in the kitchen at Rocca, I volunteer for the Kids Can Cook program at the Greater Boston Food Bank. And every now and then, I’ll cook my famous Mushroom and Goat Cheese Pizza for my father. After all, he taught me how.