Ana Sortun, Executive Chef
Hailed as one of the country’s “most creative fusion practitioners,” Ana Sortun was named the Best Chef Northeast by the James Beard Foundation in 2005 and has been lauded as “deeply inventive ” by the New York Times, and “a culinary genius” by Boston Magazine and in Saveur. In 2015, 2016 and 2017 she was a James Beard semi-finalist for Outstanding Chef. In 2020 she was a James Beard finalist for Best Chef, general excellence.
Trained at La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine de Paris, Sortun opened Moncef Medebs Aigo Bistro in Concord, and then honed her skills at 8 Holyoke and Casablanca in Harvard Square. She opened Oleana in 2001 where her creative take on the rustic-traditional cuisines of the Middle East and her interpretation of the flavors of Turkey continue to receive rave reviews.
Ana and her business partner, Executive Pastry Chef Maura Kilpatrick, opened Sofra Bakery & Café in 2008. Then, in 2013, Ana, with chef Cassie Piuma, opened Sarma, a Turkish-style meze tavern.
Siena Farms, owned by Ana’s husband, Chris Kurth and named for their daughter, provides produce to the restaurants and underscores her commitment to fresh ingredients and healthy food. Ana is also involved with Oldways Preservation Trust which fosters good health by supporting the cultural food traditions of the Middle East and the Mediterranean.
W. Chris Burton, Chef de Cuisine
Chris’ love of food and hospitality began at a young age. Born and raised in Rochester, NY, he has fond memories of his mother’s cooking. With fresh pasta frequently draping over their kitchen chairs, his mother constantly integrated new foods and cultures into their daily meals. Always balanced and seasonal, these childhood memories helped shape one of his core values as a chef: you must have a passion for feeding yourself well so that you can do the same for others.
Chris’ restaurant experience is local. He studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Cambridge before working at 51 Lincoln in Newton and Bergamot in Somerville, then becoming Chef de Cuisine at Waban Kitchen, again in Newton.
Chris then found his way to Oleana as Sous Chef for 5 years. During this time, he traveled to Istanbul and Lebanon to immerse himself in Eastern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, spending time with local producers to hone his knowledge of unique spice blends and recipes. Seeking change during the pandemic, Chris served a brief interlude as Sous Chef at Husk in South Carolina in 2021. He quickly realized he missed the flavors, culture, and sense of community at Oleana, and to everyone’s excitement, he returned as Chef de Cuisine at the beginning of 2023.
Chris’ favorite season as a chef is spring–transforming fresh veggies and herbs into balanced, flavorful dishes that nourish and delight others is what he enjoys best. As CDC, he quickly brought back Oleana’s Vegetable Tasting Menu and is excited for guests to taste all that local vegetables have to offer.
Nik Mastalerz, Pastry Chef
Nik graduated from Johnson and Wales University with a bachelor’s in Pastry Arts. After graduating, he worked at the Harbor View Hotel on Martha's Vineyard as pastry chef before moving to California. He was hired at Lazy Bear, in San Francisco to work under Executive Chef David Barzelay as pastry sous chef. That same year, Lazy Bear earned its first Michelin star. He also worked as the pastry chef of the acclaimed jazz supper club Bix, where he delved into California cuisine under the guidance Chef Bruce Hill and Chef de Cuisine Emmanuel Eng.
Returning to the Boston area in 2019, Nik began working as pastry chef for O Ya Restaurant and then landed at Oleana in 2021, where he became enamored with a pantry of new spices, time-honored techniques and dishes ranging from the Middle East to the Mediterranean.
Hannah Weisman, General Manager, Wine Director
Hannah fell in love with restaurants at an early age. Raised in northern New Jersey by food and wine enthusiasts, she was lucky enough to experience the best of dining and hospitality in nearby New York City. She began working in restaurants in high school as a way to save money before heading off to college at Mcgill University, where she earned degrees in Psychology and Cultural Studies. Upon graduation, Hannah moved to Boston to be closer to family. Unsure of her career path, she returned to restaurant work, rediscovering her passion for the hospitality industry and its ability to foster connection and build community.
Hannah was first exposed to natural wine at the beloved Hungry Mother Restaurant in Cambridge. She worked as a server in its final two years of operation, when the restaurant earned a James Beard Award before ultimately closing for good. Hannah went on to manage sister restaurants State Park and Mamaleh’s, eventually serving as General Manager on the opening team of Café du Pays. She continued to develop her beverage knowledge, receiving a certificate in Wine Studies from the Elizabeth Bishop School at Boston University. In the summer of 2018, Hannah seized the opportunity to join the team at Oleana. She found a home here and grew into her role as Beverage Director, pursuing her sommelier certification and seeing the restaurant through the pandemic and beyond.