Oak Angel Builders
About Us

About Us

Our Story

Raised in sunny Florida, Ryley Monaghan (McGillis) started working as a construction laborer and carpenter in his high school years. He attended Florida State University for a degree in business entrepreneurship and then followed his passion for cooking. Ryley moved to Charleston, SC in the early 2000’s and began his cooking career at Zinc Bistro in Mount Pleasant. In 2006 he moved to the Charleston Place Hotel where he became a junior culinary manager. Ryley would cook at night while simultaneously working for a home builder during the day.

In 2007 Ryley took a sous chef position at the Sanctuary Hotel on Kiawah Island and quickly moved up the ranks to executive sous chef for the entire hotel, managing over 100 culinarians and a $20 Million Food and Beverage operation. In 2009 Ryley was offered the position as the executive chef at Augusta National Golf Club, which he declined to stay in his beloved Charleston. In early 2015, Ryley transitioned to downtown Charleston and accepted the position as an Executive Chef for the Kessler Collection and was the driving force behind the opening of The Grand Bohemian Hotel Charleston. In 2017 Ryley took the position of executive sous chef for the Dewberry Hotel, another prestigious downtown Charleston Hotel. During his career as a local chef, Ryley played a very active role in recruiting culinary talent to Charleston from across the country and beyond.

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Our History

How Oak Angel Builders Established

Ryley, A gold medal winning culinarian, created, attended, and participated in dozens of local and national events as a recognized local executive chef including Gourmet and Grapes, Charleston Wine and Food Festival, March of Dimes, James Beard Award Dinners, and dozens of other events.

Ryley resigned from the Dewberry Hotel to pursue his passion for construction and since has opened two businesses, Oak Angel Home Builders and JZI Lumber. OAB is the construction company and JZI Lumber showcases local lumber milled and dried right here in Charleston. The lumber is like nothing else you may have seen.

Ryley has translated his passion for food, beverage and hospitality into his true passion, home building. Oak Angel Builders and JZI Lumber showcase Ryley’s talents as a chef- however translated into custom homes, sustainable materials, and locally milled lumber.

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