About the Chef

Michael Rusconi
Executive Chef
LON's at the hermosa

LON’S NAMES CHEF RUSCONI

Michael Rusconi joined LON's at the Hermosa as Executive Chef in January, 2005. He is responsible for all food operations, including in-house catering functions and room service for the distinctive boutique resort in Arizona's Paradise Valley.

Chef Rusconi has put his indelible mark on LON's award-winning Artful American cuisine, combining European technique with native ingredients and fresh, local produce. His high standards and expert technique have helped LON's to be awarded the prestigious AAA 4-diamond award among many other accolades.

Born in California and raised in Chicago, Chef Rusconi earned his culinary degree from the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont. He moved to the Phoenix-area in 1986 to intern with James Beard award winning chef and author Vincent Guerithault, who had innovated the combining of French technique with ingredients found in the Southwestern United States.

Chef Rusconi later worked at Mary Elaine at the Phoenician resort under the tutelage of James Beard award winning Chef Alessandro Stratta and James Boyce. In early 2001 he joined the team at the Royal Palms Resort & Spa as Executive Sous Chef.

Under his direction, LON's menus salute the past and celebrate the present, with a constant search for new sources. Chef Rusconi and his staff are constantly scanning the horizon for the freshest, most flavorful beef, pork, duck, seafood, cheese, and produce on the market. An example is the desert sweet shrimp featured on both lunch and dinner menus. Its sweet flavor comes from being farm-raised in an ecologically sound manner with no added preservatives; it is produced in southeastern Arizona and packed in ice for its trip to Phoenix, Fresh lobster, cod, and mussels are supplied by a small seafood company in Boston. Chef Rusconi contacts them to place his order, the seafood is harvested, packed, air shipped and delivered to the restaurant in 24 hours.

Many of the greens, herbs and vegetables served at LON’s are grown in the chef’s garden, a half-acre site north of the property’s kitchens. This area is cultivated and maintained by the culinary team.  Vegetables, citrus and other fruit, chilies, olives, and such specialty items as prickly pear syrup are found locally.

Chef Rusconi is the creative force behind a staff of 23, including Executive Sous Chef James Gallimore, Restaurant Sous Chef Justin Olsen, Banquet Chef Montez Crane, Pastry Chef Trevor Tucker and Lead Cook Andrew Wood.

Michael Rusconi and his wife, Nancy, live in central Phoenix with their daughter, Jessica, 4.  As for his food philosophy, Chef Rusconi says simply, “Buy the best ingredients and treat them with love and respect. Only by doing that will you be able to treat your guests with love and respect, and deliver the best quality possible.”