Ariana Fernandez, Co-Owner, Chef
For Ariana Fernandez cooking was always an enjoyable and creative outlet for her. After high
school she attended college for pre med classes, planning to become a Chiropractor like her
father. After a year and a half she realized she needed a change though she wasn’t sure what.
She decided she would go to culinary school for one year. Ariana was immediately drawn to
Bend when she saw the beautiful parks and rivers and they had a great culinary school. She
moved two months later. Right away cooking came so naturally to her, she loved it and began to work in town at various
restaurants and doing catering. After meeting Andres the two of them began making plans for their own restaurant.
Ariana is wife to Andres, mother to Gabriella and Isabel, and daughter of Glenn and Susan. In her spare time you can
find her hanging out with her family at the park, and reading up on food and cooking.
Favorite: Mostly Martha (German Version)
Favorite Song: "Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Favorite Cake: Passionfruit Curd, Coffee Buttercream, Choc. Chip Cake
Tidbit: My future career might be in midwifery.
Andres Fernandez, Co-Owner, Chef
Born and raised in Bogota Colombia, Andres Fernandez grew up with a love of good food.
Andres would follow his mother and grandmother around the kitchen learning subconsciously
how to cook by watching them work. After college Andres followed with a career in banking.
Although successful, Andres was not fulfilled by his banking job and started to think about
cooking. A little less than one month later Andres arrived in Bend Oregon to attend culinary school at Cascades Culinary
Academy. Through the program Andres quickly picked up English and realized how much he loved cooking professionally.
After graduation Andres worked in various restaurants in town; Scanlon’s, Cork, and Merenda. He would work all
day and go home and study about food and wine. While working at Merenda he met his future wife Ariana and they
began to make plans for their own restaurant.
In the restaurant Andres operates the kitchen, he handles all the ordering and most of the cooking and prepping for service.
You can guarantee he is cooking at the restaurant every night of the week that we’re open. His favorite style of food is
braised meats, and he has a real interest in learning everything there is to know about food through cooking, eating, and travel.
Husband to Ariana and father to two beautiful girls Gabriella and Isabel. In his free time you can find Andres fishing or
golfing in the great Oregon outdoors.
Favorite: Big Fish
Favorite Song: In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel
Favorite Cake: Devil's Food with Arequipe (Colombian Caramel)
Tidbit: I'm unusually good at all sports, even ones I've never played before
Susan Asti, Co-Owner, Hostess
Susan Asti is Ariana’s Mother. Restaurant work is not new to Susan; she has worked in
the industry many years as a server and bartender. She loves hosting at the restaurant,
meeting new people and visiting with our beloved regulars. She has a great love of
food and wine and her world travels have really sharpened her palette.
In Susan’s spare time you can find her hanging with the grandkids, reading, swimming, or working in her
garden in the summer months.
Favorite: Moonstruck
Favorite Song: "Flower Duet" -Lakmé by Charlotte Church
Favorite Cake: Carrot
Tidbit: I have been through four earthquakes over 6.5 magnitudes. Loma Prieta and Cape Mendocino.
Glenn J. Asti, D.C., Co-Owner, Beverage Manager
Dr. Glenn J. Asti is a Chiropractor and Ariana’s father. Dr. Asti keeps the staff in
top shape providing spinal adjustments on a regular basis due to the repetitive
physical stresses associated with restaurant work. Our mantra at work is "Great food,
great wine and great health." The doctor can be reached at Newport Avenue Chiropractic, (541) 330-5737.
As if being a doctor isn’t enough, in Glenn’s spare time he is the restaurant’s beverage manager. He has a great palette
for wines and has put together a really beautiful collection of Northwest focused wines. Working in restaurants at every
level, and meeting his lovely wife at one, he has a soft spot for the industry. From bartending to managing he’s done
and seen it all. At the restaurant he’s a fixer: he has also done every odd job that needs doing including his fantastic
sausages and his famous marinara sauce, which is an old family recipe handed down from his grandmother. In his
spare time (what free time?) you can catch him doing yard work or fishing the great Oregon rivers.
Favorite: Ben Hur
Favorite Song: Theme from Star Trek Next Generation
Favorite Cake: Chocolate Cake with Dark Chocolate Icing
Tidbit: I have an identical twin who is also a Chiropractor
Cara Mullis, Server
Before Ariana Restaurant inhabited the beautiful bungalow on Galveston it was home to
“A Cup of Magic Coffeehouse”. One of the most stellar employees working there for
years was Cara Whitson. When Ariana took over we immediately hired Cara to work
for us. Since then Cara has become an integral member of the Ariana family. Cara is
full of positivity, charm, and can put a smile on anyone’s face. Cara was born and raised in Bend. Wife to Eric
and new Mother to Preston.In her spare time you can find her enjoying the sunshine and watching her hubby
perform in his band Bloodlust.
Favorite: Dirty Dancing, Patrick Swayze's greatest film =)
Favorite Song: "Rock with you" Michael Jackson, every time I hear it I wanna dance!
Favorite Cake: Anything almond...
Tidbit: Bend native I grew up doing archery, fishing and tae kwon do, but now enjoy running, gardening and hiking
with my husband and 1 year old son.
Joe Conrad, Server
If you've eaten out in the last twenty something years in Central Oregon, there's a good
chance that Joe has waited on you. There is not many restaurants that haven't had the
pleasure of working with Mr. Conrad. We are lucky to have acquired Joe's services
as he is the consummate professional with a real love of his career. In Joe's spare time
you can be sure to find him on the golf course, usually with his lovely wife Mary.
Favorite: The Rievers
Favorite Song: Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin
Favorite Cake: Carrote
Tidbit: I was born during the Rose Bowl; the Dr. begrudgingly left the game in San Diego to do the delivery
causing one leg to be longer than the other.
Stephanie O’Brien, Server
Stephanie has got a fantastic sense of humor, and is always a pleasure to work with. She
has worked for Ariana Restaurant for years and has her own group of loyal patrons
who always ask for her service. Stephanie has worked in restaurants all over
Oregon and we are lucky to have her when she’s available. She also enjoys good
food like no one else. Mother of two lovely children Riley and Reese, and wife to Casey. She’s one busy lady.
If she’s not at the restaurant, you can bet she’s running her business “She’s Happy Design Co.” sewing beautifully
hand crafted and creative pillows, aprons, and more. You can find these beautiful keepsakes at local stores.
Favorite: Marie Antoinette (Sofia Coppola)
Favorite Song: Piano Sonata in C Minor op.13 Adagio Cantabile by Beethoven
Favorite Cake: Almendrado
Tidbit: I once sang "Eye of the Tiger" with the man who wrote the song.
Jason Knight, Server
Jason gets excited about food and wine. If you're a foodie you want Jason to guide
you through your meal. Husband to lovely Kristi and father of four, he's usually busy
hanging with the family. Jason enjoys all the Bend outdoors have to offer, you can
find him on the mountain in the winter, camping in the summer, and surfing on the coast.
Favorite: Meatballs
Favorite Song: Breed by Nirvana
Favorite Cake: Tres Leches
Tidbit: I love fishing ,even though I rarely catch fish.
Anna Russell-Higgins, Server
Anna has been with us off and on for a fewyears now and is a really great addition to our team.
She is very sweet and good and we love to have her around whenever we can get her.
She recently finished school and will be teaching in the fall.
Favorite: Movie Goodwill Hunting
Favorite Song: Crazy Love, Van Morrison
Favorite Cake: More of an ice cream kind of lady, Coffee & Toffee
Tidbit: I start my day with a cup of black tea, splashed with milk. My busy boys keep me on my toes and I
usually juggle more than I should. I enjoy a good challenge, but need a little push out of my comfort zone.
I love to teach, write and bathe in a good cry. I do my best to reach for kindness and be the change I wish
to see in the world.
Patrick Flanagan, Server
Being a 4th grade teacher, Patrick is our perfect summer server. If he's not
working here you may see him at the golf course and hanging with his wife and kids.
Favorite: Boondock Saints
Favorite Song: Don't Be Shy by Cat Stevens
Favorite Cake: Chocolate
Tidbit: I learned how to Irish dance as a child.
Bosten Ingram
The newest member of our restaurant family, Bosten (aka Bean)is a student at
COCC majoring in "Life". Recently back in Central Oregon after spending 5
months traveling around New Zealand. If she's not here she's lifeguarding at the
pool and hanging at Crescent Lake.
Favorite: The Breakfast Club
Favorite Song: Holocene by Bon Iver
Favorite Cake: Red Velvet
Tidbit: I would never wear shoes if I didn't have to
Drew Montgomery, Lead Line Cook
Drew has been a part of our restaurant family for quite a while now. Chemistry
major at COCC, if he's not working or studying you'll find him fishing,
skateboarding, and cruising around on his motorcycle..
Favorite: The Royal Tenenbaums
Favorite Song: Going to California by Led Zeppelin
Favorite Cake: Chocolate
Tidbit: I recently toured all around Thailand for two months.
Alex Chidester, Line Cook
Born in Salt Lake City raised in Bend Alex has become an integral member of our team.
A type 1 diabetic he had to be careful with all the goodies around the restaurant.
If he's not working you may see him skating or biking around town, playing music,
and hanging with friends.
Favorite: Space Jam
Favorite Song: A Song For The Dead by Queens of the Stone Age
Favorite Cake: Chocolate with Cherries
Tidbit: I'm trying to figure out life, the universe, and everything in it while creating a soundtrack to match.