Chef Michael Sullivan

About Chef Michael Sullivan – Sullivan  is the butcher and charcutier for American Cured. Sullivan found passion in this industry through working solely with his hands to combine the most unique spices and flavors with numerous kinds of meats creating an innovative dish. His work as a professional butcher instilled a commitment to state of the art processing, allowing Sullivan to bring high quality beef to the table.

Chef Joe Cunningham, Northshore Brasserie

Northshore Brasserie is West Knoxville’s eurocentric neighborhood restaurant. On the menu you’ll find steak frites, mussels, roasted chicken and handmade pastas. Chef Joe Cunningham, who joined Northshore Brasserie in the spring of 2016, is dedicated to using local produce and ingredients from local farms to create classic dishes with a twist here and there. Cunningham, who is a D.C. native, has worked in kitchens up and down the East Coast including in New York City, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and East Tennessee’s own Blackberry Farm.

When Cunningham joined Northshore Brasserie he was looking for a new challenge and helping the restaurant establish itself sounded like a good option. Having lived and traveled throughout Europe, and having attended the French Culinary Institute, Cunningham was attracted to the fast paced eurocentric style of cooking at Northshore.

Chef Kent Graham

Deeply rooted in Southern tradition with a contemporary approach to locally sourced ingredients, Chef Kent Graham brings an honest approach to food that is otherwise lost in technique. Classically trained, he started at his mother’s apron strings in Memphis, Tennessee. With both Father and Mother having a heavy appreciation for the arts, Kent’s youth was spent enriched with culture and education. Creating beauty and bringing it to life was a pastime in the Graham home.

Following his love of food, Kent studied at the hands of very talented mentors across the country. He has cooked in France, Spain, Scotland, New York City, Napa Valley, Jackson Hole, Atlanta, and throughout the South with. He now makes his home in Atlanta, Georgia.

A Chef, a farmer, a huntsman; Kent introduces diversity to classic southern offerings. With a heavy concentration on locally sourced and crafted foods, he uses naturally raised or grown ingredients to highlight the cornerstone of his culinary philosophy – “Keep it local; Keep it fresh; Keep it simple.”

Moving forward, Kent hopes to break the mundane, over cooked, tired thoughts of Southern food over saturated with butter and all too commercial ideals with his new projects. As a Southern Foodways Alliance member and grass roots Southern boy, he looks to bring the heritage… history… stories…memories… back to Southern dining.

Kent has been featured in magazines and on television throughout the South. He has been a repeat participant Charleston Wine + Food, a guest chef at Popup dinners and supper clubs. Also cooking for past and presidents, vice presidents, military officials and other leaders of state. He has given his time to work with St. Jude on fundraising events.

Chef Tyler White

Tyler White has been in the culinary industry for over 18 years working in North Carolina and Tennessee. His career began at small retreat outside of Asheville NC, where he worked through high school and learned how a professional kitchen operated, and how to harvest produce as there was an organic farm on site at the retreat. From here Tyler went on to become a Sous Chef and receive a Master’s degree in hospitality management. Tyler currently runs the University of Tennessee Culinary Institute helping students pursue their dreams of culinary greatness.

Chef David Gregory, Bridgewater Place

Knoxville native, Chef David Gregory, has been immersed in kitchen culture his entire life. Some of his first memories are of helping his parents cater parties for their friends and clients. David graduated from Sullivan University then began working in a few local kitchens, including as Executive Chef at the Orangery in Knoxville. David is now the Chef de Cuisine of Bridgewater Place, a premier caterer in Knoxville where he enjoys exposing young chefs to new knowledge and his guests to unexpected culinary delights.