Meet Our Team
Cyrus is the culmination of a ten-year dream and journey to reimagine fine dining from service to staffing. We are hopeful that the innovative concepts introduced at Cyrus Alexander Valley will not only bring our guests an enjoyable and invigorating escape, but will also have a long-term impact on the health of the restaurant industry as a whole. It is with this in mind that we have assembled a team of dedicated professionals who share our passion for excellence.
DOUGLAS KEANE
Chef/Owner
Born in Detroit, planted in Sonoma. Doug brought his midwest work ethic to San Francisco back in 1998. Along the way, he stopped at Cornell University for a degree in Hotel Management and in New York City where he earned his self-described “master’s degree” cooking in some of the finest restaurants in the world. A few years after landing in San Francisco he moved north to Sonoma County and quickly realized he had found his new home. He describes Sonoma County as the best place in the world to live and work. He values the honor of taking arguably the world’s greatest agricultural products, grown right here in Sonoma, and transforming them into a thoughtful meal to be enjoyed by his guests. He is eternally grateful for the deep support of the Cyrus investors who saw through the darkness of a worldwide pandemic and chose to support an ambitious project.
Doug lives in Alexander Valley, Sonoma County with his wife, Lael, and their rescue petting zoo, which consists of four dogs, three goats, two sheep, two pigs and one chicken. When not in the kitchen, Douglas can often be seen transporting any number of the pack around Sonoma County in his Ford pickup truck.
NICK PEYTON
Mâitre'd Hôtel/Owner
Nick Peyton has spent a lifetime seeking to perfect the art of fine dining service. His role as Maître d’Hôtel/Owner of Cyrus is the culmination of wisdom and expertise garnered over the course of 45 years managing many of San Francisco’s top restaurants. Partnering with Chef Douglas Keane over the past 20 years has honed a harmony of vision. The first incarnation of Cyrus was the crucible through which the uncompromising concept of Cyrus Alexander Valley was delivered.
Nick cannot wait to bring his enduring philosophy of an intelligent, caring, and personalized service style to our guests.
DREW GLASSELL
Chef/Partner
Chef Drew, a California native and former Marine, has worked with Douglas since 1999. They are a team in the very essence of the word. Drew not only plays a strong role in the cuisine of Cyrus, he is largely responsible for the behind the scenes day-to-day operations of the kitchen and the restaurant as a whole. Drew graduated from the California Culinary Academy in 1997. Drew and Douglas have opened 10 restaurants together from Market in 2003 to this version of Cyrus in 2022. This restaurant is the culmination of a dream he has shared with Douglas since they began working together and he envisions Cyrus as the place to form the most elite team in all of Northern California.
In his free time, Drew enjoys fishing and sharing a meal with his wife Cynthia and his daughters Amelia and Angelina.
CYRUS SCHULTZ
Wine Director
What Hawaiians simply call “aloha” is a deep cultural heritage rooted in generosity and hospitality. It is this philosophy that transformed a 14-year-old Cyrus at his first job at a Maui restaurant from a kid simply earning extra money into a man with a realized passion and lifelong inspired career. Cyrus’s new goal soon became to learn as much about food, wine and service as possible. This drive steered him to work in some of the most demanding and esteemed establishments in the world, including Benu and The French Laundry. Despite the intensity and perfection this path demands, that initial “aloha touch” creed has always been at the heart of his ethos. That feeling emanates in Cyrus’s every action on the floor; from pouring a welcome glass of champagne to creating a perfect food and wine pairing.
We are confident that Cyrus Alexander, the founder of this beautiful valley, would delight in knowing that another Cyrus is carrying forth a passion for wine right where he first introduced vines in 1843.
JOSH GAULIN
Pastry Chef
Born and raised in the suburbs of Richmond, VA, food was far from a central part of Josh’s upbringing. It wasn’t until his first job as a dishwasher in his early teens that he was exposed to the industry and soon fell in love with the pace of the kitchen, and camaraderie within. In 2012 Josh moved to California in pursuit of learning from the best and honing his skills in some of the top kitchens in the country. For the last ten years, Josh has worked at many acclaimed Bay Area restaurants, but cites Quince, Michael Mina, and The Restaurant at Meadowood with being the most formative to his career. He was most recently Executive Pastry Chef on the opening team of the Four Seasons Resort, Napa Valley. He is extremely excited to be part of the Cyrus team for the opportunity to contribute to its storied history and grand rebirth in beautiful Alexander Valley.
When he is not in the kitchen, Josh enjoys dining around and exploring the outdoors of Sonoma County with his fiancé Laken, or simply hanging out at home with their two cats.
AMBER KENEALLY
Event Sales Director
It was obvious from an early age that Amber was destined for hospitality. Her mother was a server and hotel manager, and as a kid Amber delighted in “playing restaurant,” setting the perfect scene and serving up mud pies and mint salads plucked from the garden. From her very first job scooping ice cream to her years managing the events team at Barndiva in Healdsburg, her professional life has largely been focused in hospitality and event coordination. Amber takes pride in creating amazing experiences for others. With a canny ability to anticipate people’s needs, a keen eye for detail, and a knack for project management she always aims to exceed expectations. As a Geyserville local, Amber could not be happier to be part of the team ushering Cyrus into its next chapter.
In her free time, Amber can be found running through the vineyards of Alexander Valley, teaching spin classes in downtown Healdsburg, or baking real pies with her two young children.
ALEX SILVERMAN
Assistant Manager/Sommelier
Alex grew up in Orange County, Southern California. His earliest jobs of working as a 911 EMT and teaching English as a second language share a connection with his chosen profession of hospitality; the opportunity to establish meaningful connections with people. He considers the ability to craft unforgettable experiences for guests through a shared meal a sincere privilege. His passion for experience and excellence led him to tenures at La Toque in Napa Valley and as part of the opening team at Single Thread, where he stayed for three years. He views the Cyrus mission to be a supportive and equitable restaurant for the entire team and a chance to inspire hospitality professionals across the industry to follow suit. Alex has attained Advanced Sommelier level and is working towards the Master Sommelier exam.
When he is not at the restaurant, this Yosemite rock climber is usually in the mountains or at the coast surfing. Alex also enjoys spending time with Eleanor, the black cat, drinking chardonnay and watching the Los Angeles/Oakland/Vegas Raiders play.
