Chef
Roy Ellamar
- Discipline
- Chef
- Based in
- Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
i. Biography
Ingredient-led cooking in restaurant kitchens depends on sourcing, restraint, and the ability to turn a product’s condition into a plate guests want to study and eat. Across Las Vegas and California, Roy Ellamar’s work has been tied to local ingredients, sustainable seafood, a huli-huli memory, and the practical discipline of knowing where food comes from.
The Path
Formal training at University of Hawaii (1994) gave Roy Ellamar a base for a career organized around precision, seasonality, and place. The station work that followed included Chef de partie at L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas (from 2012), before the Bellagio years at Harvest by Roy Ellamar in Las Vegas (2015–2021) put those sourcing concerns into a chef/owner format. The Las Vegas chapter continued through a chef/partner role at Fine Company in Downtown Summerlin, Las Vegas (2023–2024). The current work moves the sourcing question closer to production itself: Roy is executive chef of restaurant and farm at a resort in Sonoma County (since 2024).
Present Day
Farm-linked restaurant work changes the feedback loop between growing, receiving, and cooking. Roy described the Sonoma County move this way: "That’s been a huge dream of mine. I’ve always championed produce and knowing where the food comes from, and now it’s going to really happen."
Signature
The signature list shows the range of Roy Ellamar’s restaurant vocabulary: Fine Company banana bread, Harvest Hawaiian-Style Roast Chicken, and Fisherman’s stew at Harvest.
Honors
Recognition followed both the off-Strip restaurant format and the Bellagio project: Roy Ellamar’s honors include Best New Off-Strip Restaurant for Fine Company (2023) and Best of Award of Excellence for Harvest by Roy Ellamar.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Roy
What role does Roy Ellamar hold?
Roy Ellamar is executive chef at AYA Rooftop Restaurant at Graton Resort and Casino.
Where did Roy Ellamar train or study?
Roy Ellamar trained at University of Hawaii.
What recognition has Roy Ellamar received?
Best New Off-Strip Restaurant for Fine Company (2023).
