The Team
Geoff Davis
Chef/Owner
Born just outside Philadelphia, Geoff grew up in Modesto, California. An early love for dining at restaurants, selecting produce with his Grandfather, and cooking through cookbooks fostered his passion for food. He has fond memories of spending time and sharing meals with his grandparents, especially after they moved to California.
He enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. After graduating, he worked in a handful of Bay Area Michelin-starred restaurants such as Aqua, The Fifth Floor, and Cyrus. After a brief stint in wine and in Napa, Geoff relocated to Oakland where he worked at Haven and later The Dock, alongside James Syhabout. Geoff went on to join the opening team at True Laurel as Executive Chef.
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But, the seeds had been planted for his own vision. In 2022, Geoff embarked on a new journey called Burdell, which began as a series of pop-ups centered on local produce and the Soul Food he remembered from his grandparents' table. In 2024, Chef Davis was a Finalist for James Beard Foundation Best Chef: California.
Brandon Cavazos
Brandon was raised in his family’s Mexican restaurant in Northern Washington State. Growing up, the restaurant fueled his interest and passion for cooking.
After relocating to the Bay Area, Brandon began to develop his cooking style at establishments such as Corso and Duende, among others, and a stint in Austin, Texas.
As a lifelong culinary professional, Brandon is incredibly passionate about food and the exploration of food culture as an art form. He works to communicate his love of good food and gracious hospitality while contributing to the dynamic Bay Area restaurant community.
Chef de Cuisine
Monique Carter
General Manager
An avid traveler and hospitality veteran, Mo Carter has spent her nearly thirty years gaining extensive experience in restaurant and hotel operations nationwide. A native of Atlanta, Mo was quite typical of many college kids, and began waiting tables in college. Destined for the big city, Mo left North Carolina to complete undergrad and attend law school in NYC. Working for industry icons like Masa and Nobuyashi, and for city temples like Rockefeller Center, Mo developed a keen sense of service.
Having spent a decade in NY, she began her management career at the Gramercy Park Hotel for hotelier and former Studio 54 owner, Ian Schrager. From there Mo has managed award winning restaurants in Miami, Chicago, and Los Angeles; consulted on projects in Atlanta, Washington DC, and Dallas while maintaining ownership of the MJB Restaurant Group, a boutique hospitality organization based in Chicago.
Excited to bring her experience to a new market, while learning all she can about the industry in the Bay Area, in 2023, Mo relocated to Oakland. When she’s not enjoying her indoor garden, Mo can be found strolling vintage shops, bookstores, or eating at a local joint nearby.
Zara Fernandez-Aurelio
Logistics/Office Snack Curation
Fresh out of college, Zara migrated from the Philippines to the Bay Area. She initially wanted to work in healthcare and got into the restaurant world as a way to support herself during school. Her desire to be of service shifted from medicine to food after working as a reservationist and host at Scala’s Bistro in San Francisco during the holidays. She decided to pursue restaurant management as her full-time career.
Since then, Zara has managed a few neighborhood restaurants in San Francisco, such as Marlowe in SoMa and La Ciccia in Noe Valley. She's cultivated a love for connecting with guests and coaching colleagues, while curating bar programs and managing costs.
When she’s not working, she enjoys munching on something crunchy and talking about which place has the best fried chicken (it's Jollibee).
Erin Sweet
Sous Chef
A California native, Erin was born in San Jose and spent time growing up in a small town outside of Yosemite. After high school and still unsure of what career path to take, she took a trip to visit family in Arkansas, where she tasted and learned how to make baked goods from scratch for the first time. It was on that trip that she knew she wanted to pursue a career in food, and hasn’t looked back since.
After attending California Culinary Academy in San Francisco for Baking and Pastry Arts, Erin moved away from solely baking to becoming a grill cook at Out the Door, where she fell further in love with restaurants, how they operate, and the people that work in them. After becoming a sous chef for The Slanted Door group, Erin left to delve further into bread making at Local Mission Market, and then on to becoming the pastry chef of Chris Cosentino’s Cockscomb. After spending a year Vietnam, Erin returned to the Bay Area has spent time fueling her obsession for knowledge of all things food, including a stage at Manresa, managing two Verve Coffee locations, making pasta, bread, and pastries at Barzotto, and has helped with popular Bay Area pop-ups, such as FOB Kitchen, Feed the People, and My Friend Fernando.
In her spare time, Erin enjoys visiting new restaurants, collecting cookbooks and menus, conducting snack research, and sending memes to her friends.
FAMILY, FRIENDS, & PARTNERS
Mom
Dad
Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop
Grandma and Grandpa
Great Aunt Laura
Art
&
Design
Logo: Victor Ta
Branding/Website/Menus: Benjamin Clemons & Laurelle Turner-Clemons
Woodwork: Will Dyckman Design
Mural: Jacqueline Westermeyer
Artwork: Taylor Smalls, Patrick Piccolo
Vintage Pieces: Rhys James Vintage
Food
Monterey Fish Co.
Lady Edison Ham
Edith’s Pie
Cream Co.
Corfini Gourmet Meat
Alexandre Dairy
Oya Organics
Riverdog Farm
Dirty Girl Produce
Raising Oxen Milled Flour
Star Route
Zuckerman Farms
Tierra Vegetables
K & J Orchards
Brokaw Avocados
Brundo Spices