Chef Douglas Rodrigues’ earliest food memories trace back to his grandfather’s farm in Scituate, Massachusetts. Running through the fields, picking fresh corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, and more, laid the groundwork for his passion for fresh produce and ignited his aspiration to become a chef. At 13, he entered the restaurant industry, motivated by a job that would fund his love for skateboards. Starting by flipping burgers at Bergson’s, a local diner chain, he soon longed to emulate the culinary artistry of Julia Child, which he admired on TV with his mother. This ambition led him to fine dining, where he honed his skills in the kitchens of some of the South Shore’s finest restaurants.

After stints at The Atlantica on Cohasset Harbor, Tosca in Hingham, Saporito’s Florence Club Café in Hull, and The Winsor House Inn in Duxbury, Rodrigues craved more. He reached out to Clio in 2006, secured a stagé, and was promptly hired. Transitioning from rustic cooking, he adapted to Clio’s meticulous approach, where each ingredient underwent a unique, globally-influenced technique.

Through the years, Rodrigues mastered the integration of French, Asian, Middle Eastern, and Southeast Asian techniques and ingredients into contemporary, intricately designed dishes. His fine dining journey continued under Michelin-starred chef Guy Martin at the opening of Sensing in Boston in 2009.

Returning to Clio as Sous Chef, Rodrigues worked closely with Chef Ken Oringer, pushing himself to craft original menu items and climbing the ranks to Executive Chef. Valuing this period, he took pride in traveling across the country for food and wine events, attending the Starchefs Congress in New York, and exploring places like Hong Kong and the Algarve.