Executive Chef Amol Thanky

Chef Amol joined the Bardo family shortly before the pandemic and subsequent shutdown. We are so grateful to have weathered the storm together and are excited to officially introduce him as the head of the culinary program here at Bardo Lounge & Supper Club.

Despite growing up in Austin, TX, international cuisine was a part of Amol’s daily life from an early age. His mom, Tracey, who grew up in a Jewish family in the Bronx, and his father, Prakash, from Ahmedabad, India, kept their kitchen full of an array of unique dishes, ingredients and spices. He spent his childhood cooking with them, helping to craft multi-course dinners for family and friends, demonstrating an early penchant for flavor, innovation and experimentation. His signature dessert for their parties was an Austrian pastry called Sacher Torte, made with Kahlua syrup, chocolate sponge cake, apricot jam, and dark chocolate ganache. Later, after a short stint in the finance world, he felt a pull to return to the kitchen, and enrolled in culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu in Austin, TX.

 Spending his days steeped in culinary education and his nights at Austin institution, Siena Ristorante Toscana, Amol built up his culinary chops before heading off to join the food and banquet program at the Desert Ridge, a 5-star resort in Scottsdale, AZ. There, he honed his catering acumen becoming proficient in developing multi-course banquets for receptions, corporate events, weddings and celebrations. A desire to explore fine dining brought Amol to the iconic Gary Danko in San Francisco, where he wasted no time in tracking down the best local farmer’s markets and making himself  at home in the Bay Area dining scene. Interested in bringing his own vision and creativity to the table, he accepted the Chef de Cuisine position with San Diego’s Patio group, successfully opening five unique restaurants in his two year tenure with them. Ultimately, missing the Northern California vibe and food scene, Amol made his way back to Oakland, CA, and found his home away from home at Bardo Lounge & Supper Club. 

 At Bardo, Amol blends traditional and modern culinary techniques with local seasonal products to create elevated American comfort food inspired by the adventure, whimsy and flair of mid-century style dinner parties - with none of the kitsch, canned food or jello. Well, maybe just a bit of jello. 

 When Amol’s not in the kitchen, you can find him shredding on the guitar, tracking down beautiful produce at the local farmers’ market or cuddling up with his precious bunny - the one and only, ‘Princess Fluffikins.’ 

Beverage Director Ben Dimond

Born and raised in South Carolina, Ben developed an early love for the great southern tradition of storytelling, and went on to study journalism. After working a handful of jobs, punctuated by many summers spent picking watermelons at a local farm, Ben joined the Peace Corps. He met his wife, Cameron while working abroad, and after coming home in 2012, they moved to New York City. Ben was prepared to take any job that came his way. He walked into a dimly lit basement bar in Manhattan and walked out with a job bartending at the famed Comedy Cellar. As both budding and famous comedians alike came to tell their story, Ben spent his nights crafting drinks, learning the ins and outs of bar culture. He and Cameron relocated to Oakland in early 2018, where he continued his bartending education at a number of Bay Area establishments, ultimately joining the Bardo team in 2019.

His approach to making cocktails is heavily influenced by his travels, and the opportunity that bar and cocktail culture provides to tell a story, educate, and provide communion. “Sometimes making a cocktail is very intentional. There is a specific place or feeling that you’re trying to evoke; those are some of the coolest drinks that I’ve made. But my favorite cocktails are the happy accidents that come from an interaction with a guest. This is the best part of bartending, when someone wants something that they have never had before, and they trust you to provide that for them. You have this conversation about what they really like, and then if you nail it, it’s this transcendent thing. Not only do they get exactly what they want, but they’ve been heard. So often we go through our entire day, being ignored, or barely listened to, not engaging or being engaged, and then there is this little moment where someone hears you, understands you, and makes something for you. What’s better than that? This is really at the heart of what we try to do at Bardo. We strive to create a menu that is intentional and evocative, but also a culture and atmosphere where guests feel comfortable to ask questions, order off menu, and trust that we can give them something that they will truly enjoy.” Come in for a drink, stay for the communion and one of Ben’s many reappropriated Comedy Cellar jokes.

When not behind the bar, R&Ding new cocktails, or explaining to his wife why there are so many syrups in the fridge, you can find him walking his new dog, Betty, around the neighborhood or enjoying a couple dozen oysters somewhere.