About

Ryan Russell - Chef/Owner
Ryan Russell left sunny San Diego for the Bay Area in 1996 and considers it the best decision of his life. He studied landscape architecture at University of California, Berkeley, and helped found Tierra Viva Landscape Design in Emeryville, Ca, with a focus on pioneering edible and native landscapes. The concept of sustainability was forefront in Russell’s colliding worlds of modern design and food systems, and led him to study Permaculture with Penny Livingston and Brock Dolman eventually earning his Permaculture design credentials. During this time Russell explored his passion for food working for Rising Sun Catering out of St. Helena with Chad and Heather Harris; the part time job became an obsession with kitchen craft. Under Chad’s tutelage, Russell was exposed to some of the best local products available to a chef, and gained an appreciation for rustic satisfying food, food that causes craving. Russell was a chef for Rising Sun when he received an offer from 111 Minna Gallery in San Francisco to be in-house caterer--- he realized the gallery was a perfect venue to push his own version of conceptual, creative fare and started Hot Rod Pantry catering. Russell started to fantasize about building a restaurant where chefs could explore new flavor combinations in a creatively charged atmoshphere to surprise and entertain the guests. Tinderbox would be a laboratory for experimentation, and foodies would find their bliss, but in the end, the grub just had to taste damn good. When Russell met Blair Warsham, he knew he had found a kindred spirit, Warsham had an incredible knowledge of technique and extensive restaurant experience but wanted to cook outside the confines of categorization.

Blair Warsham - Chef/Partner
Blair Warsham hails from Atlanta, Georgia, but his culinary journey began in Charleston, South Carolina where he graduated with Honors from the College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University in 2000. Warsham continued working under the tutelage of executive chef Bob Waggoner, a three-time James Beard nominee for 'Best Chef of the Southeast’ at the Charleston Grill. The first of several bold moves for Warsham was the acceptance of an exclusive offer from Waggoner to train with some of France's most renowned chefs. In 2003, Warsham trained at a slew of Michelin-rated restaurants with chefs Patrice Demangel of Sofitel Biarritz Miramar Hotel, Gerard Charbonier of Le Bougaincillier, and Jose Deanacleto of Hotel Million. Warsham completed his European experience working under chefs Rose Gray and Ruth Rodgers at The River Café in London. The profundity of Warsham’s European experiences led him to find a restaurant where he could apply la technique to American food, leading him ironically to his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia to work with chef Anne Quatrano, three-time James Beard winner for 'Best Chef of the Southeast', at Bacchanalia. When an executive sous chef was needed at The General's Daughter in Sonoma, California in 2005, Warsham accepted the position. It was there that Warsham developed a passion for California's fresh approach using local waters, farms and artisan producers of Northern California. After dining at Campton Place in San Francisco, Warsham was captivated by chef Daniel Humm's forward thinking approach to creating innovative and contemporary cuisine that married modern French with American sensibilities. Warsham knew that working for Humm was the next step in his culinary progression and moved from Sonoma to San Francisco and joined Campton Place. After two incredible years, Warsham declined an offer to sous-chef for Humm when he left for 11 Madison in New York. Warsham is serious about having Sundays off, but you’ll find him immersed in Tinderbox’s kitchen every other day of the week.