Anne Kearney

Coming Up

New Orleans, Louisiana provided the early test for Kearney’s timing, technique, and command of service. At Mr. B's bistro, she started as cook; at Bistro at the Maison de Ville, the work sharpened station discipline and the language of the line. Peristyle in New Orleans, Louisiana then marked a longer run of responsibility, first as sous-chef at Peristyle in New Orleans, Louisiana (1991–1995), then as owner and chef at Peristyle in New Orleans, Louisiana (1995–2004), a progression that shows both advancement and consolidation of control. She later worked as line cook and culinary assistant at Emeril's in New Orleans, Louisiana, adding another exacting house to a career built on standards that do not soften. After New Orleans, the same approach carried to Washington Township, Ohio, where Kearney became owner and chef at Rue Dumaine in Washington Township, Ohio (2007–2017). The move kept the work in the same register: disciplined cooking, steady judgment, and a style that did not depend on location to hold its shape. Today, Anne is founding chef/partner of Oak & Ola (since 2019), where that accumulated experience remains central to the restaurant’s identity.

Where They Are Now

Since 2019, she has been founding chef at Oak & Ola in Tampa, where shared ownership underpins the restaurant’s structure. On that arrangement, she said, "I have the support of 4 partners that I know, trust and believe in." The comment is practical, not decorative: it points to a working kitchen and business built on trust already proven.

Signature

Kearney’s signature dishes read as exercises in control and balance. Horseradish Dressed Blue Crab is built around brightness and edge; Mussels Bourride points to layered, aromatic comfort; and Food of Love carries a title meant to stick. Taken together, they show a cooking style that stays attentive without becoming fussy and expressive without losing clarity.

In Their Words “I will always hold with me the image of John hovering over a tiny pot that held what would become a perfect pink pea risotto.” “His work was so real, it was almost tangible.”