On May 4th, Graton Resort & Casino debuted the next phase of its transformative expansion, notably introducing a 28,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor dining space called AYA Rooftop Restaurant. Led by award-winning chef Roy Ellamar and VP of culinary operations Jennifer Murphy-Ellamar, the new venue showcases chef Ellamar’s “local to the max” philosophy and live-fire cooking preferences.
A Hawaii native, chef Ellamar grew up surrounded by farmers and fishers who instilled in him a deep respect for responsibly sourced food. After refining his craft in acclaimed kitchens across Chicago, Los Angeles and Las Vegas, including L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon and Bellagio’s Harvest, he launched the critically praised Fine Company in 2021.
At AYA, he has crafted a modern coastal California menu through the lens of his Hawaiian-Filipino heritage, with daily sourcing from the restaurant’s dedicated 40-acre farm. One may visit for dishes such as shiso Salt-Baked Snapper with ginger-ogo salsa and hot oil or a Calamansi Tart featuring an ancient “dinosaur egg” Filipino sea salt shaved tableside.
Amber Turpin: How did you get into this work?
Roy Ellamar: I was inspired by all the family dinners growing up. There were so many great cooks in my family: my mom, my grandfather, my dad. My uncle was a chef in San Francisco, and I remember him coming back to Hilo in his chef uniform, cooking for us and doing these incredible vegetable carvings. As a child, that really stuck with me. I was very impressionable at that age, and it made me aspire to follow a similar path.
What is your favorite thing to cook (or eat) and why?
I love grilling and smoking; those are my favorite things. I love cooking on fire, and that’s why I designed AYA’s kitchen this way. The first week we opened, on the first night, one of my chefs shared that he wondered what this place was going to smell like … what is the smell of AYA going to be? The smell of AYA is what I love to cook: fire, soy sauce and grilled meats.
What ingredients do you use or eat the most?
My pantry is huge. It covers so many different types of cuisine. I would say Asian ingredients are the ones that I use the most—various types of soy sauce and fermented fish sauces.
What are some of your go-to places to go out for a sit-down meal? What about takeout?
For a sit-down meal, The Matheson in Healdsburg, Central Market in Petaluma and Della Fattoria Downtown Café in Petaluma. For takeout, Kellys Sandwiches and Drinks in Santa Rosa or this Vietnamese place in Rohnert Park called Simmer.
Last meal on Earth?
Anything from my mom. She is an incredible cook and very inspirational in my life and career. AYA Rooftop Restaurant at Graton Resort and Casino,288 Golf Course Dr. W., Rohnert Park, 707.588.7100, graton.com/dining/aya.
