Step back in time to the days of the Rat Pack at The Rockwood Room. Featuring iconic American dishes from the post WWII era like rich roasted prime rib, broiled lobster tail and charbroiled steaks.

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View the Dinner Menu here

MICHAEL DEI MAGGI
EXECUTIVE CHEF / PROPRIETOR
At first glance, one may not expect The Rockwood Room Executive Chef Michael Dei Maggi to be a devotee of vintage Americana cuisine. But, the proudly Italian, tattooed and gregarious lover of all things food and wine has an affinity for the simplicity of throwback dishes, all made with a modern twist.

“Fine food, wine and cocktails is what The Rockwood Room’s all about,” says Dei Maggi.  “We’ll have a fabulous prime rib program, broiled lobster tails and fondue, reminiscent of the opulent post World War II era, but updated, along with my grandmother’s rigatoni and meatballs.  The meatballs don’t fit in, but I want them on the menu anyway,” he laughs.

Born in Rochester, NY and raised just outside of Boston, MA, Dei Maggi grew up in an Italian family where the culture of food was a staple in and of itself.

“I’ve been cooking since I was a small child. The entire family would be in the kitchen, the men would be making sausage and the women would be rolling out pasta and making cookies,” Dei Maggi recalls. “Everybody’s laughing, yelling, breaking stuff, drinking wine, making food and having a great time.”

It was there that Dei Maggi learned to prepare many of the family recipes, including homemade sausage and meatballs.  His passion for fine cuisine flourished when, upon his mother’s encouragement, he pursued a cooking career and received his culinary apprenticeship under French Master Chef Serge Backes at the Lighthouse Inn in New London, CT.

For the past several years Dei Maggi has been a force on the Houston restaurant scene, gracing the kitchen of Riviera Grill, working as Chef de Cuisine at Bice Restaurant and, more recently, as Executive Chef of Max’s Wine Dive. Prior to relocating to Houston, Dei Maggi served as Executive Chef at Mendocino Café in Mendocino, CA, where he raised the profile of the restaurant from a small operation to a locally-driven organic concept with excellent Zagat ratings and widespread acclaim.
 
Attention to flavor profiles, quality and locality of ingredients and an artful presentation are hallmarks of Dei Maggi’s culinary approach and will play a distinctive role at the Rockwood Room. “We simply highlight beautiful ingredients,” Dei Maggi says. “We don’t over complicate the situation.”