who we are
Inspired by Chef Randy and Amanda Rucker’s experiences living shoreside, Little Water is a coastal love letter.
We strive to create a memorable dining experience, celebrating contemporary costal cuisine with the warmth of Southern hospitality.
meet the team
Chef + co-owner
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Raised in Tomball, Texas, Randy Rucker’s culinary career began early on in his mother’s kitchen. Chef Rucker credits his mother Bootsie for his passion for food and for inspiring him to pursue the culinary arts as a career. Rucker’s professional career began in Rhode Island where he attended Johnson & Wales University before migrating west to California in 2000. He then returned to Houston. and in 2005, Rucker opened Laidback Manor with his mother Bootsie, which received numerous awards and accolades from national press; including Food Arts Magazine and The Wall Street Journal.
Rucker also operated an underground supper club called Tenacity and that led to the head chef position at The Rainbow Lodge. Rucker drew inspiration from onsite gardens and citrus groves. There, his efforts were rewarded with four stars from Modern Luxury—not to mention a very rare four star review (first in almost nine years) from Alison Cook at The Houston Chronicle. Rucker then returned to his hometown of Tomball to open Bootsie’s, and was named a rising star from Starchefs.com. Shortly after, he was nominated for two James Beard awards. He then went on to open the Restaurant Bramble in the Tanglewood neighborhood of Houston where the restaurant focused on Third Coast cuisine.
In the fall of 2016 Rucker returned to the east coast, serving as Culinary Director of 2 well respected restaurants on Martha’s Vineyard and as Executive Chef for a Relis & Chateaux property in Mystic, CT. It was during this time when Rucker developed a passion for New England’s natural resources. While developing relationships with local fisherman on the island he was exposed to various species of shellfish, fish, and seaweeds that continue to inspire and cultivate his cooking style today.
After marrying his wife Amanda, a Philadelphia native, The Rucker’s moved to Philadelphia to open River Twice in 2019. River Twice garnered much success in its first five months of operation, receiving three stars from Philadelphia Magazine, three bells from Philadelphia critique Craig Laban. In 2024 Rucker became a semi-finalist for the James Beard Foundation Awards and is set to open his second restaurant, Little Water in Rittenhouse Square.
co-owner
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Amanda Rucker was born and raised in Montgomery County, PA. She attended Moore College of Art and Design & then Temple University, graduating with a B.A in Entrepreneurship. In 2014 she moved to Texas to pursue her first passion in the arts, interiors and attended the Art Institute of Houston to finish her Interior Design degree where she met her husband, Randy Rucker. Amanda started her career as an interior designer with a focus on environmental design and has worked for various design builds and architects.
In 2018 she transitioned to the hospitality industry and co-founded River Twice together with her husband Randy Rucker, and father, Lawrence Highbloom. Amanda runs the daily business operations. She designed both River Twice and Little Water with green sustainable design principles, advocating through the hospitality industry for environmentally sustainable practices. Amanda currently sits on the board of East Passyunk Business Association and is a member of The Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia. Mrs. Rucker is a member of the Sisterly Love Collective and hosted their inaugural food fair market just one week before giving birth to her first daughter, Ruby. Amanda focuses on using her platform to give attention charitable organizations throughout Philadelphia and beyond, hosting various drives and fundraisers each year.
sustainability + locale
Learn more below about how we honor our commitment to sustainability, community and the local partners who help make this possible.
The StarChefs celebrates up-and-coming industry professionals with their Rising Stars Awards. Nominees represent the vanguard of the contemporary American dining scene.
Sisterly Love Collective encourages the development of women food entrepreneurs through mentorships, advocacy, educational programming and improving access to leadership networks.
The Sustainable Business Network of Philadelphia is a community of independent businesses that demonstrate how businesses can build profitable enterprises while serving community needs, sharing wealth, and protecting the environment.
