Our Team
A Third Place | Our Team | Our Extended Family
Miguel Tzab //
Executive Chef
After 16 years working at Rose’s Café & Terzo, we have promoted Chef Miguel from Chef de Cuisine to Executive Chef. He will continue the traditions of Rose’s Cafe while adding his own touch.
Laurie Thomas //
Proprietor
What started as a love of food and a restaurant investment turned into a full career change for Laurie Thomas, now owner of Nice Ventures, which includes three successful restaurants in San Francisco: Rose Pistola, Rose’s Café, and Terzo. Prior to becoming a restaurateur, she earned a BS in Industrial Engineering from Stanford University, an MBA from Harvard Business School, and held senior management positions at several enterprise software companies in Silicon Valley.
In 1996, Thomas invested in Rose Pistola, which subsequently won the prestigious James Beard award for the Best New Restaurant in America. The following year she made an additional investment in Rose’s Café, which has developed into a neighborhood café and a second dining room for many locals. In 2001 Thomas joined Nice Ventures full time, and in March 2002 became CEO.
In April 2006, Thomas opened Terzo, where Chef/Co-owner Mark Gordon creates seasonal, Mediterranean cuisine with origins in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, France, and the Middle East.
Thomas lives in San Francisco with her husband, Tony. Together they enjoy skiing, traveling, food and wine.
Ava Del Bino //
General Manager
Originally from Southern California, Ava moved to San Francisco at 18. What started as a hostess job at Rose Pistola in 2014 blossomed into a full passion for the service industry. Ava worked for Rose Pistola & Terzo simultaneously while attending the Academy of Art University to receive a Bachelor of Fine Art in Printmaking. After finishing school, Ava stepped into the management role of AGM for Terzo. Ava is heavily involved in both Rose’s Café and Terzo. Maintaining a strong team and a warm, authentic experience for guests is what Ava prides herself in. Ava lives in Cow Hollow with her husband, Dan, and cats, Jack Jack & Chopper. They enjoy traveling, tequila, and exploring the city food scene as much as possible.
Mark Gordon //
Chef Emeritus
Mark Gordon began his culinary career at the Kendall College Culinary Program in Chicago. He then moved to California and worked his way up in various Bay Area kitchens, including Fetzer Winery’s Culinary Center and San Francisco’s renowned 42 Degrees. In October 2000, he joined our parent company, Nice Ventures, as the Executive Chef at Rose’s Café.
After five years at Rose’s Café, Gordon was ready for another challenge and worked closely with owner Laurie Thomas to create a new sister restaurant, Terzo.
After spending the past ten years at Terzo, Gordon this year decided to step back from his Executive Chef position at Terzo to focus on his creative passions and health. Gordon is still very involved as Chef Emeritus, helping to curate and produce quarterly wine dinners and providing guidance and feedback to the kitchen and wine team.
Gordon lives in Oakland with his wife Lori, a professional personal chef who also spent many years producing desserts at Terzo. When they are not working, they enjoy traveling and dining around the Bay Area.
