Seasoned culinary director Marcelo Han brings over 20 years of experience to Rocket Farm Restaurants, where he oversees menu direction and operations for all Superica restaurants. Born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil, he moved to New Jersey at the age of 14, followed by stints in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and now, Atlanta.
Han’s passion for cooking and interest in the culinary industry began at a young age. He started his career in marketing but decided to quit his cubicle job to pursue his passion for cooking while working in restaurants in the surrounding areas to get hands-on experience and attending The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.
Before joining the Rocket Farm team, Han spent years sharpening his skills and working his way up the culinary ladder, becoming an expert in overseeing various cuisine styles and restaurant openings at SBE Entertainment Group in Los Angeles and Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises in Chicago. During his time at SBE as Corporate R&D Chef, Han opened renowned restaurant concepts, Cleo and Katsuya, before accepting a role with Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises for seven years as a Divisional Executive Chef, where he conceptualized with Divisional Partners and opened popular Chicago restaurants including Sushi-San, Ramen-San and RPM Steak, helping them achieve early success and expand the concepts to the next level. Most recently, Han was Culinary Director for Ballyhoo Hospitality in Chicago, where he planned and directed all culinary services across all concepts.
In his process for dishes and menu creation, Han first establishes a goal for the concept, then using critical thinking and challenging the norm — taking into consideration all elements from desired mood, plate ware, trends in dining, flavors, books, social media, and ultimately, how a guest and/or community will connect with the food — he begins to list the ingredients and techniques to build the dish. His inspiration also comes from sourcing quality, fresh ingredients with respect, utilizing the best products for the concept at hand. A longtime mentor introduced him to Ford Fry, and within two weeks of a phone call and tasting, he moved to Atlanta to take on his current role.
When away from the restaurants, Marcelo enjoys traveling and immersing himself in new cultures and cuisines. He would not be where he is today without the love and support of his family – including his wife Miriam and daughter, Isabella.