Daniel Harthausen

Coming Up

On-campus cafeteria work gave Daniel Harthausen an early education in volume and repetition, where speed and consistency mattered as much as timing. From there, his route moved through the practical range of restaurants: cook at Lemaire at the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Virginia, then cook at The Black Sheep, and later pop-up chef at Young Mother in Richmond, Virginia (from 2014). Each role sharpened a different part of the trade, from line discipline to service pace, from dining-room coordination to the more improvised demands of a pop-up. Work on the floor broadened that training. Moving from busser to manager at a few local restaurants gave him a clearer view of how a room functions: guest flow, staff communication, and the small decisions that shape service. At Addara, he served as bar manager, adding another layer to his understanding of how a restaurant holds together across front and back of house. Today, Daniel is chef of Late Air (since 2024) and Executive Chef of Rong Cuisine (Baiziwan South Er Road), where that sequence of jobs shows up as a more settled point of view.

Where They Are Now

The shape of Daniel Harthausen’s current work comes from being self-taught. The cooking is built from observation, repetition, and memory rather than formal schooling, which gives it a direct, personal texture. Korean and Japanese references are present, but the voice remains his own.

Signature

Daniel’s signature dishes include Taizhou yellow croaker and pother. The choices point to a cook working with clarity and restraint, letting a few elements carry the plate without overcomplication.

In Their Words “Being self-taught, many of my recipes and techniques come from memories of cooking with the women in my family.” For Daniel, that line places technique inside inheritance: recipes and methods passed along through family cooking, then carried forward through use. The statement reads like someone speaking from a career assembled one kitchen at a time, with enough service behind it to make the claim land on its own.

Honors

Daniel’s honors include Rising Stars Chef and winner of HBO Max's The Brunch.