Our Wine Team

  • Man smiling and drinking red wine in a bar or wine shop

    Jeremiah Cates — Wine Director

    Rhode Island native, Bostonian for the past 10… (no accent here wink wink). With 20+ years in service I’ve had uniforms ranging from a white tux and gloves to shorts and sunglasses. Greek wine has become my passion, and if it’s funky and cloudy it’s in my glass. The harder to pronounce the better!

  • A woman with dark hair, smiling and holding a glass of rosé wine in a restaurant or bar setting, with a blurred background of hanging lights and shelves.

    Maria Castañeda — Junior sommelier

    Maria will make you feel welcomed and that you belong 100% into the wine world with her gently and genuine way to speak about it, while transmitting exciting knowledge and a top notch service.

Our Culinary Team

  • A chef with glasses, tattoos, and a bandana is sitting on a blue bench holding a dish of food. The chef is wearing a white chef's coat with a logo and name embroidered on it, and is sitting near a window with a view of an outdoor staircase and building.

    Brendan Pelley — culinary director

  • Portrait of a male chef in a white chef's coat standing with arms crossed in front of a textured white wall and blue booth.

    Jerry Pabla — Executive Chef

  • A man with a light blue bandana on his head, wearing a black shirt and black apron, sitting at a table with a dish of food, in a restaurant with blue seating and white textured walls.

    Theo Tsilipanos — Chef Partner

Our Founders

  • A man with a bald head and a beard, smiling, sitting outdoors at a bar or restaurant, holding a bottle of white wine in one hand and a glass of white wine in the other. He is wearing a brown hoodie with the word 'KRASI' on it, a yellow shirt underneath, gray pants, and sneakers with patterned socks. The background has warm hanging lights and a window.

    Demetri Tsolakis

  • A woman with shoulder-length brunette hair smiling and holding a glass of white wine, standing against a textured gray wall.

    Tasha Breshinsky

  • A woman with long dark hair smiling and sitting in a booth at a cafe, wearing a black top.

    Kayla Padilla

The Xenia Team behind Bar Vlaha is a larger collective of hospitality minds brought together by Xenia Greek Hospitality—our parent company and the heart of all we do.

Xenia is a family of restaurants driven by a shared commitment to philoxenia: the Greek art of making guests feel truly welcome. From culinary direction and beverage programs to branding, design, and guest experience, the Xenia team supports every detail that brings our restaurants to life.

They’re the hands and minds behind the scenes, helping us stay rooted in tradition while constantly evolving—and always ensuring that every concept feels personal, intentional, and full of heart.

Learn more about Xenia Greek Hospitality →

Group of six chefs and kitchen staff standing in a commercial kitchen, smiling at the camera.
Two male chefs wearing bandanas and aprons are sitting on a blue booth, eating from bowls. One is standing on the seat, leaning forward with a fork, while the other is seated, eating with a spoon, both appear surprised or excited.
A woman is pouring champagne into a man's glass, both are sitting on a blue couch in a room with a wine bottle on the table. The woman is laughing, and the man is smiling, holding a bottle of champagne.
Three men sitting together in a restaurant, dressed as chefs with aprons and bandanas, smiling at the camera.
A chef preparing and plating shrimp tacos with various toppings in a restaurant kitchen.
A woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a black top and a gold necklace with a letter 'A', holding a large wine glass filled with clear liquid, smiling and winking
A man sitting on a window ledge outside a restaurant, drinking white wine from a glass while holding a wine bottle. There are two additional wine bottles on the ledge in front of him. The man is dressed casually in a brown hoodie, gray pants, and whi
A chef preparing salads in a professional kitchen, with plates of salads and ingredients on the counter.
Man with a beard holding a glass of red wine, wearing a beige sweatshirt, standing next to a brick wall and a poster of a woman with blue hair and red hearts.
Three friends smiling and laughing while sitting on a step outside a building, holding wine bottles and glasses, with hanging light bulbs inside in the background.
A smiling male chef wearing glasses, a black bandana, a white chef coat, and a beige apron, standing beside a table set with a fork, knife, spoon, a striped napkin, and a glass pitcher of water in a restaurant with glassware on shelves and sunlight c
Two chefs preparing sushi in a kitchen, placing green onions on sushi rolls.
A woman with long dark hair sitting in a booth at a cafe, smiling and laughing. A window with cars outside is behind her, and a framed art piece of Homer Simpson dressed as a scholar is on the wall.
A chef cooking steaks in a professional kitchen, using tongs to handle the meat on a stovetop with various pots and pans around.
Two women are laughing and enjoying drinks at a window seat in a restaurant or bar, with warm lighting and bottles on shelves in the background.
Group of six friends enjoying a meal together at a restaurant, with various dishes of food and drinks on the table, smiling and having fun.