Popular restaurant owners take over Richland favorite and add a French twist
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- They took ownership March 1 and reopened The Bradley by Chef Jessie after brief shutdown.
- They shifted The Bradley to a rustic French menu while keeping Ciao Trattoria in Pasco.
- They retain the bar program and plan to expand Washington and French wine lists.
Susanne and Jessie Ayala are doing what they do best as the new owners of The Bradley, the restaurant known for its craft cocktails near the Richland waterfront.
They’re focusing on food. Specifically, French fare.
The Ayalas are well known restaurateurs who operate Pasco’s popular Ciao Trattoria. They hope to repeat that success in Richland by bringing a menu worth seeking out to their latest venture.
The cozy Ciao Trattoria is known for its Italian cuisine, with its lemon pasta as its breakout menu item.
In Richland, they’re bringing a rustic French flair, starting with a local twist on the classic onion soup. Their version includes strands of beef.
The Ayalas began managing The Bradley at Christmastime.
They officially took ownership on March 1 and renamed it The Bradley by Chef Jessie. After a brief shutdown, it reopened to customers this week. A grand opening is set for next week.
They are keeping both Ciao and The Bradley.
The focus on French cuisine in Richland is a deliberate nod to Ciao’s Italian menu. Both restaurants cater to the same pool of customers, diners willing to drive a bit for an experience.
They don’t want The Bradley to pull business away from Ciao.
Opportunity knocks
The Ayalas weren’t looking for a new venture.
Jessie is chef at Ciao and its companion, Imbibe. an Italian-themed coffee shop and bar that serves as its auxiliary kitchen. Susanne oversees the business side of things in addition to her full-time job as a human resources executive.
A third business, Pasco Burger Co., is on hold, awaiting the right opportunity. It was supposed to open at the Port of Pasco’s Osprey Pointe development, but the port canceled the deal with the developer that was supposed to build on the site. The Ayalas expected to lease space once it was built.
They learned The Bradley was for sale via their wine dealer. They were intrigued by the 60-seat restaurant and its bar-led program, known locally as a go-to spot for craft cocktails.
They’re retaining the strong bar program and see the renewed focus on a French menu as a way to retain a broader audience for dinner.
“We want them to stay,” Susanne said.
The menu is evolving, but in addition to French onion soup, it will serve a 40-clove braised chicken, ratatouille, rack of lamb, ratatouille, scalloped carrots and other staples.
To complement the menu, they plan to beef up the wine menu to include both Washington wines and their French counterparts.
Passion for cooking
Jessie Ayala discovered a passion for cooking at Prosser High School and went on to earn a culinary degree from South Seattle Community College. He worked in kitchens ranging from Ivar’s to the Boeing Co. commissary.
He returned to Prosser to work in an uncle’s business and met Susanne while the two worked at Wine Country Inn.
Several moves later, they found themselves in the Tri-Cities., operating a food truck and catering business.
The COVID-19 pandemic would be a pivotal experience for the family. Everyone was sickened, but Jessie Ayala’s illness was life-threatening. He had to be hospitalized for a month for intensive treatment.
He credits his eventual recovery to his wish to get back to the kitchen.
Ciao Trattoria opened a year later in a small space at 112 N. Fourth Ave.
The Bradley by Chef Jessie is at 404 Bradley Blvd., Suite 106, Richland.
Hours are 3 p.m.-9 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday. Happy hour is 3-6 p.m., daily. The bar retains its own menu.
Go to atthebradley.com
About tipping
The Ayalas ended tipping at Ciao Trattoria in 2023 when they shifted to a simplified menu with taxes and tips included in the prices customers see.
The approach has worked well, but they’re not replicating it in Richland since The Bradley is an ongoing concern.
Instead, the prices customers see will include tax, but not tip.
This story was originally published March 11, 2026 at 8:00 AM.