Rafe Hottenstein: From Family Roots to Michelin Stars — and Back Again
A Life Shaped by the Kitchen
Long before Michelin stars and California acclaim, the kitchen was already home.
Raised in a family that owned The Greenfield Restaurant for nearly three decades, Rafe’s earliest memories are rooted in hospitality. By the age of seven or eight, he was already immersed in the rhythm of service—washing dishes, helping where he could, and learning the unspoken language of a working kitchen.
What others might have considered chores became something more formative: a foundation built on discipline, family, and the quiet understanding that great restaurants are as much about people as they are about food.
“Those were our holidays,” he recalls. “That was family time.”
Education & Early Ambition
Rather than stepping directly into the family business, Hotenstein chose to refine his craft through formal education. A graduate of Penn State’s Hotel & Restaurant Management program, he paired academic training with a clear ambition: to cook at the highest level.
That ambition led him west.
The California Years: A Decade of Fire and Freedom
At 22, he relocated to California—a move that would define the next decade of his life.
After earning his culinary certification from the Culinary Institute of America, he began working in some of Northern California’s most respected kitchens:
Terra (Napa Valley) — Michelin Star
Ame (San Francisco) — Michelin Star
Frances (San Francisco) — Michelin Star
Each kitchen sharpened his technique, but just as importantly, shaped his philosophy.
“These were the years,” he says. “Working hard, playing hard—riding bikes to restaurants on our days off, eating constantly, always learning.”
The culture of California dining—ingredient-driven, globally inspired, and relentlessly creative—left a permanent mark on his cooking.
Favorite memories are less about a single restaurant and more about the experience itself: long days, late nights, and a tight-knit community of chefs exploring the best food Northern California had to offer. Still, places like the legendary Swan Oyster Depot became regular stops—institutions that reinforced a deep respect for simplicity done exceptionally well.
The Return Home
After ten years, the decision to return to Pennsylvania was both practical and deeply personal.
“It was a turning point,” he explains. “If I was going to come home, it was time.”
Family called him back—not just emotionally, but professionally. He returned to lead the kitchen at The Greenfield Restaurant, carrying with him a decade of Michelin-level experience.
For years, he helmed the kitchen, bridging tradition and refinement until the restaurant was eventually sold just prior to the pandemic.
A New Chapter: Executive Chef at Josephine’s
Today, Hottenstein serves as Executive Chef of Josephine’s Downtown, where he has spent the past two years redefining what fine dining can look like in Lancaster.
Originally rooted in French cuisine, the restaurant has evolved under his leadership into something more expansive:
A blend of French technique, California sensibility, and locally sourced Pennsylvania ingredients.
His approach is both refined and playful—balancing elevated classics with globally inspired dishes.
Signature Philosophy
Honor French foundations
Introduce global influence
Highlight local ingredients
Maintain approachability within fine dining
Signature Dishes
Barramundi with Curry Butter Sauce
A vibrant composition of rice, vegetables, and a deeply flavored Indian-inspired sauce—now considered the restaurant’s signature dish (see recipe.)Octopus Tostada
A California-influenced plate that pushes beyond traditional Lancaster expectations.Wild Game Program
Featuring antelope, bison, duck, and more—sourced from top-tier purveyors like Broken Arrow Ranch in Texas.
The result is a menu that invites both comfort and curiosity: guests can enjoy a perfectly executed crab cake—or explore something entirely unexpected.
Beyond the Kitchen
Away from the pass, life is equally full.
A husband and father of three—ages 2, 4, and 15—he now balances the intensity of fine dining with the grounding presence of family life.
It’s a contrast to his California years, but one that reflects a new kind of success.
The Throughline
From washing dishes in a family restaurant to earning Michelin stars in California—and ultimately returning home to redefine a regional dining scene—Hottenstein's story is one of evolution without forgetting origin.
At its core, his cooking remains guided by the same principles he learned as a child:
Work hard. Feed people well. And make it meaningful.
