William Rietzel

Executive Chef

William embarked on his culinary journey at a local pizza joint in his hometown, realizing his passion for cooking early on. He honed his skills under Chef Walter Slater at Junction Pizzeria and later refined his craft at Bistro 9 in East Greenwich alongside Chef Aaron Edwards.

Driven by a deep desire to expand his culinary expertise, William ventured to Tucker’s Bistro in Newport, where he fell in love with classic French fine dining. This passion led him to Paris, working at L’Office with Chef Kevin O’Donnell. Returning to the U.S., he thrived at Castle Hill Inn, Newport, and The Salty Pig, Boston, absorbing knowledge in charcuterie and refined Italian cuisine. He earned accolades as Sous Chef at Ocean House's Seasons and further expanded his culinary horizons in Germany. William also co-founded Sails Restaurant in Naples with Chef Jacob Jasinski before returning to Ocean House to head COAST, maintaining its Forbes and AAA ratings. In 2022, he was a James Beard Award semifinalist in the "Best Chef in the Northeast" category, and he currently resides in Wickford with his wife Nadya and two dogs, Georgia and Peach, constantly immersing himself in food and hospitality.