From dishwashing to Forbes 30 Under 30: Laguna Beach local cooks up an entrepreneurial spirit

Since he was young, Noah Rosen has been fascinated by culinary arts.

The Laguna Beach local grew up surrounded by chefs, starting with his mom, No Square Theater president and Artistic Director Bree Burgess Rosen. The culinary prowess in her kitchen, and at the now-closed local restaurant The Counter at 370 Common, helped Rosen refine his palette and exposed the young chef to many different cuisines.

“Laguna [Beach] is our paradise by the sea and growing up there, I’ve gotten a pretty diverse mix of food,” said Rosen. “There are many places in this country where people aren’t exposed to things like great Thai food and sushi until they travel to big cities, but we are a small town with a lot of variety.” 

Photo courtesy of Noah Rosen

Today, that same young dreamer, now 27, stands as the founder and CEO of Forge to Table, a rapidly growing knife company celebrated by professional chefs and home cooks alike. Featured on Forbes’ 30 Under 30, this local entrepreneur’s story is a testament to ambition, grit, and, of course, a deep love of food.

At 11 years old, armed with determination and a sponge, Rosen kicked off his culinary career with a dishwashing gig that later transformed into a catering business at 14 years old and then a student-led pop-up kitchen. Following a stint at the Montage Hotel, he attended Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, where he pursued a bachelor’s in food and beverage entrepreneurship and an associate’s in culinary arts, tailoring his education to his dual passions for cooking and business.

“The entrepreneurial bug was always there,” said Rosen. “Even as a kid, I was drawn to the idea of creative control and the freedom of running a small business.”

Today, the company has a small dedicated U.S. team of four and a larger artisan team of 22 at its forge in China led by Alex Zheng, a third-generation blacksmith. Together, they craft knives that blend Japanese, Chinese and Western design influences—a nod to Zheng’s training in Japan, his Chinese heritage and Rosen’s American culinary background.

The Gateway Knife

Rosen experienced his entrepreneurial ‘ah-ha' moment in 2017 during his freshmen year of college while at an annual conference in Chicago. There, he met Carol, Zheng’s wife and business partner, who was exploring business opportunities at the show. The initial knife, a prototype of the now eight-inch Gyuto knife, the company’s most popular, became the foundation of his business. After showing it to classmates, demand grew rapidly and by October 2017, the first production run of 200 knives sold out and Forge to Table was officially born.

“We call our knives the gateway,” said Rosen. “They’re approachable, yet high-quality, combining the best of all three styles.”

Even as his business expands, Rosen remains rooted in the culinary world, continuing to cook and experiment.

“I’ve always loved to eat and cook,” said Rosen. “As I learn more about myself, I’ve realized that food is such an international language, such an act of love—to present someone with a meal, that act of creating something delicious, sharing a part of yourself with whatever you’ve created really brings people together.”

The journey hasn’t been without challenges—starting a business as a college student while balancing coursework and scaling production and maintaining quality is no small feat. But rewards have been immense—Forge to Table’s knives are cherished by chefs in countries across the world.

“Whenever you travel the world, you do it through food, whether you know it or not,” said Rosen. “Things that you’re eating are exposing you to culture and people’s upbringings, whether it’s the individual chef…or grandma’s cooking…you’re always experiencing through food.”

As Rosen looks to the future, he is inspired to continue to innovate in and out of the kitchen. From humble beginnings washing dishes to a thriving business, this Laguna Beach local is proof that with passion and perseverance, anything is possible.

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