NASHVILLE, TN/UNITED STATES — JW Marriott Nashville and Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina are pleased to announce the appointment of highly accomplished Chef Quentin Welch to the position of Executive Chef at Nashville’s only Bourbon Steak, located on the 34th floor of JW Marriott Nashville and currently the city’s number one restaurant and steakhouse on TripAdvisor. In this role, Chef Welch will oversee the restaurant’s culinary program and its creation of seasonal menus. She looks forward to leading the kitchen after a difficult year for the hospitality industry, incorporating even more local and regional purveyors into the Bourbon Steak menu, and forging partnerships with Nashville-based nonprofits to further support the community.
“I’m excited to be part of the Nashville culinary scene as it bounces back from a challenging year, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to join the ranks of leadership within the Mina Group and JW Marriott Nashville,” says Welch. “It gives me great pride to lead this team of culinary professionals who continually deliver the exceptional experience our guests come to know and love.”
Born and raised in Ohio, Chef Welch developed a passion for hospitality at Ohio State University, where she worked in various restaurants throughout her college career. After graduating, she furthered her education in Las Vegas through Le Cordon Bleu’s prestigious culinary program. During that time, she assisted in opening Jaleo at the Cosmopolitan Hotel, and shortly after, was offered a position at José Andrés’s prolific chef’s table eatery, é. From there, Welch moved to Thomas Keller’s Bouchon in the Venetian Hotel and took a position at Prime in the Bellagio Resort. She later joined the Mina Group as Sous Chef of StripSteak Las Vegas, and after two years of dedication and excellence, was promoted to Corporate Sous Chef within the company. In this role, she traveled the world supporting several Mina Group operations including StripSteak Waikiki, Mina Brasserie in Dubai, and Bourbon Steak and Pub at Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco. While assisting with the opening of Bourbon Steak Nashville in the summer of 2018, Chef Welch was offered the Executive Sous Chef position and relocated to Nashville permanently.
"We are thrilled to offer this well-deserved promotion to Chef Welch. She brings a wealth of knowledge and international experience with her extensive background working in fine dining establishments across key global markets." says Lukus Kindlesparker, General Manager of JW Marriott Nashville and Vice President of Full-Service Hotels for Turnberry. "We are eager to showcase Chef Welch’s many talents and look forward to continuing to provide a world-class dining experience to our guests through our mark of excellence and innovation."
Also joining the Bourbon Steak leadership team is Alexander “AJ” Johnston who will assume the role of General Manager. After studying Hospitality Management at the University of Denver, AJ got his start in the industry with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, where he held a variety of food and beverage management positions at the Four Seasons in Austin, TX and Vail, CO.
AJ first joined the Mina Group in Washington, DC at Bourbon Steak in the Four Seasons in Georgetown. From there AJ continued his journey with Chef Mina to become the opening Assistant General Manager of Margeaux Brasserie in Chicago and then Assistant General Manager of Pabu Izakaya in San Francisco. In the Summer of 2019, AJ moved to Nashville to assist the team at Bourbon Steak as an Operations Manager. In the tumultuous environment of 2020, he found himself back in DC where he joined the Fabio Trabocchi team as General Manager of his distinguished Del Mar restaurant. As fate would have it, AJ couldn't stay away from Nashville for long and has since rejoined the team in Music City as General Manager of Bourbon Steak Nashville.
“AJ’s distinguished appointment comes as we celebrate consistently high customer service scores for the restaurant. We will look to him to uphold Bourbon Steak’s renowned excellence and commitment to the residents and visitors of Nashville that we serve,” said Lukus Kindlesparker. “His wealth of experience and proven ability to lead fine dining establishments in the Nation’s most prominent markets will be a tremendous benefit to the continuing brand presence of the Bourbon Steak name here in Nashville. We are excited to watch this new leadership team take an already phenomenal dining experience to the next level.”
###
About JW Marriott Nashville
JW Marriott Nashville, Nashville’s first true luxury hotel brand, offers the ideal location in the heart of downtown, adjacent to the state-of-the-art Music City Center. JW Marriott offers 533 guestrooms with floor-to-ceiling windows, inclusive of 37 suites, along with a broad array of amenities, including renowned chef and restaurateur, Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak. Offering a diverse setting for business, meeting and pleasure travel pursuits, the 33-story hotel features 77,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor function space, including a 15,000-sq. ft. Grand Ballroom, and 17,000-sq. ft. event lawn aptly named, The Green at JW. JW Marriott Nashville is conveniently situated within easy walking distance to the Bridgestone Arena, the legendary “Honky-Tonk Highway” on Lower Broadway and the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum. Owned and operated by Turnberry Associates, the JW Marriott Nashville is located at 201 8th Ave. South, Nashville, TN and officially opened its doors in July of 2018. To learn more, visit the official JW Marriott Nashville website at www.jwmarriottnashville.com or follow the hotel on social media via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Turnberry
Turnberry is one of America's most dynamic real estate development groups with a fifty-year track record of creating destinations with its retail, hospitality, residential and commercial assets. The company portfolio includes the Aventura Mall, which comprises the world’s most recognized brands, chef-driven restaurants, limited edition experiences and museum caliber public art and design enjoyed by almost 30 million people annually; and Destin Commons, a 500,000+ square foot lifestyle center in Northwest Florida. Under the leadership of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jackie Soffer, the company is collaborating with LeFrak to create Solé Mia, a 184-acre mixed use project in North Miami. Turnberry also owns and operates Town Center Aventura and an array of select services hotels like the Residence Inn by Marriott Aventura Mall and the Courtyard By Marriott Aventura. The company also engages in numerous philanthropic efforts in its local communities. For more information, visit www.turnberry.com.
About JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts
JW Marriott is part of Marriott International’s luxury portfolio and consists of beautiful properties and distinctive resort locations around the world. These elegant hotels cater to sophisticated, self-assured travelers seeking The JW Treatment™ – the brand’s philosophy that true luxury is created by people who are passionate about what they do. JW hotels offer crafted experiences that bring to life the brand’s commitment to highly choreographed, anticipatory service and modern residential design, allowing guests to pursue their passions and leave even more fulfilled than when they arrived. Today there are 80 JW Marriott hotels in nearly 30 countries and territories. JW Marriott is proud to participate in the industry’s award-winning loyalty program, Marriott Rewards® which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®. Members can now link accounts with Starwood Preferred Guest® at members.marriott.com for instant elite status matching and unlimited points transfer.
Visit Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) for company information. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com.