Doug Ruley and Maggie Cellitto named Downstate Best of Delaware

SoDel Concepts Chefs Doug Ruley and Maggie Cellitto were recently honored in Delaware Today’s Best of Delaware issue. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Chefs Doug Ruley and Maggie Cellitto were named to the 2020 Best of Delaware list in the July issue of Delaware Today magazine.

Both are employees of Rehoboth Beach-based SoDel Concepts, which has 12 restaurants in Sussex County.

Ruley is vice president of culinary operations, and the magazine’s readers voted him Best Chef - Downstate. Readers voted Cellitto Rising Star Chef - Downstate. She is executive chef at Matt’s Fish Camp in Bethany Beach.

Scott Kammerer, president of SoDel Concepts, said the chefs deserved the awards. “Doug and Maggie are not only talented chefs, but they are also extraordinary leaders who can motivate their teams to excel,” he said.

Ruley, a Johnson & Wales University graduate, has been invited five times to cook at the venerable James Beard House in New York. The Elkton, Md. native oversees all the culinary operations for SoDel Concepts, including kitchen management and menu creation. An industry veteran, he has been with the company since 2006.

Cellitto, who joined SoDel Concepts in 2017, is known for her savory and sweet dishes. The Baltimore native has a degree in baking and pastry arts from the Art Institute of Philadelphia, as well as an associate degree in culinary management.

“Maggie is always putting a creative spin on traditional dishes,” Ruley said. “She also creates some delicious daily features.” Consider halibut over white sweet potato cream with shiitake mushrooms, okra and a green strawberry-cilantro chutney, or grilled octopus with a green tomato gazpacho, shaved chorizo and queso fresco.

“These chefs are powerhouses in their industry,” Kammerer said. “We are exceptionally fortunate and proud to have them on our team.”