Ascent Hospitality chef heads to James Beard House for RCA event

Ascent Hospitality Management’s Scott Rodriguez will join the Research Chefs Association’s 2026 James Beard House event in New York City on Oct. 22 and 23. The appearance spotlights the company’s push to raise food quality and simplify menus at Perkins and Huddle House.

Why it matters: - Ascent Hospitality Management is using a prestigious culinary stage to showcase menu work that could shape food at Perkins and Huddle House. - The move signals a broader bet that better ingredients, simpler recipes and tighter product development can lift the guest experience across legacy family-dining brands.

What happened: - Scott Rodriguez, Ascent Hospitality’s vice president of culinary and product innovation, will join the Research Chefs Association’s 2026 James Beard House event in New York City on Oct. 22 and 23. - Rodriguez will be part of the RCA culinary team for “Indivisible: Celebrating the Diversity of America’s Culinary Fabric and the Waves of Immigrants Who Weave It.” - The two-night event will bring together Research Chefs Association member chefs for an elevated dining experience benefiting the association and the James Beard House.

The details: - Rodriguez said the invitation reflects the work Ascent’s culinary team is doing every day and its focus on thinking differently about family dining. - Ascent is taking a fresh approach to culinary development across Perkins and Huddle House. - The company is focusing on product quality, thoughtful menu development and making every ingredient count. - The culinary team is simplifying and elevating menus instead of adding complexity for its own sake. - The goal is to create dishes that are approachable, craveable and made with quality ingredients. - That approach is shaping menu development, product selection and kitchen execution at both brands. - Paul Damico, CEO of Ascent Hospitality, said the company is investing in innovation to make familiar foods better. - Damico said Ascent is being more intentional about ingredients and products, making smarter choices and aiming for a better experience from the first bite to the last. - For more information about Ascent Hospitality Management and its brands, visit the company’s website.

Between the lines: - The James Beard House appearance gives Ascent a credibility boost beyond its restaurant footprint. - The event also offers a public signal that Perkins and Huddle House are part of a broader menu modernization effort, not just a one-off chef showcase. - Ascent’s message is that culinary innovation can be used to improve familiar comfort food without losing the brands’ core identity.

What's next: - Rodriguez will represent Ascent at the Oct. 22-23 RCA event in New York City. - Ascent is expected to bring lessons from that work back into the Perkins and Huddle House restaurants where guests see the results every day. - The company’s broader investment in culinary excellence appears aimed at long-term brand growth and stronger franchise appeal.

The bottom line: - Ascent Hospitality is tying a high-profile chef appearance to a wider push to modernize its menu strategy and improve food quality across two longtime restaurant brands.