Top Chef’s Professional Journey Returns Him to Hayward’

When Rodrigo Cedeno became executive chef at Hayward’s iconic Bijou Restaurant in April it was the end of a culinary journey that started with his graduation from Hayward High School. Graduating in the top 20% of his class at the prestigious Collins College of Hospitality Management at Cal Poly Pomona, Rodrigo went on to work with some of the most accomplished chefs on the West Coast. He honed his skills in modern cuisine and techniques in molecular gastronomy at Vu Restaurant in Marina del Rey, specialized in classical and modern French cuisine at RN74 in San Francisco, and was sous chef in the upscale restaurant at the exclusive Rolling Hills Country Club in San Pedro.

Rodrigo: “The direction of the menu at Bijou is something a little more modern, something that will provide each guest with an ‘affordable palate.’ We achieve this by offering new and unique flavor profiles with each dish and creating a regularly changing, seasonal menu.”