Lexington chef known for family meals, brunch launches new venture. Here’s when.

For fans of local chef Ranada Riley’s cooking, the wait is almost over. In just over a week, Riley is opening her new place, Ranada’s Kitchen, in the Chevy Chase area.

Ranada’s Kitchen, which Riley said is more of a “multifaceted culinary adventure” than a restaurant, will be located at 312 South Ashland Avenue.

It’s scheduled to open the first week of August, with carry-out options. She plans to be closed Sunday and Monday, at least at first, but eventually she plans to add patio seating out front.

The eclectic, upscale casual menu will be trendy with a twist, southern comfort with various options for those with vegan, vegetarian or other dietary restrictions, Riley said.

“There’s not going to be anybody that’s going to be unhappy,” she said. “It’s just going to be fun.”

Ranada’s Kitchen’s hours will vary, depending on which events are being held.

Riley said these events include celebrity chef pop-ups, family meals, monthly networking events and boutique catering.

To-go artisanal Sunday brunches and in-house and online cooking classes will also be available.

Riley is also working on a website for Ranada’s Kitchen that incorporates local music and local art with her local food.

“It’s a lot of different things, but it’s all the things that I love,” she said.

Riley said that while she does have a small investor, she isn’t partnering with anyone to operate Ranada’s Kitchen. She said it’s nice to be her own boss, her own leader.

Riley left Ranada’s Bistro and Footstep LLC ownership group, which included her former business partner Larry Dean, amicably, according to a statement released in June.

Now rebranded as Old Vine Bistro, that restaurant remains open with a new menu.

Her latest venture is meant to be her last one before retirement, Riley said. She said that after a year-and-a-half working as a chef at Ranada’s Bistro, she wants to slow down and scale back. She is excited to reconnect with the community in the Chevy Chase area and pay homage to all the chefs she has learned from in her past, she said.

“It’s kinda like my dream,” she said. “It’s a great end to the journey.”

For more information, check out Ranada’s Kitchen’s Facebook or Instagram pages.

This story was originally published July 22, 2020 at 6:01 PM.