Gaylord Opryland Hotel & Convention Center
"The STARS-first culture is definitely something that drew me here from the beginning," said Brian Owenby, executive chef of The District at Gaylord Opryland Hotel & Convention Center. "The creativity allowed here is usually unheard of in a hotel of this size. Chefs are allowed to be chefs at Gaylord, and I think that is why so many stay here as long as they do and, in my case, even return to the hotel," he said.
Following a position at a bistro in Franklin, Tennessee, Owenby returned “home” when Gaylord Opryland Hotel offered him the executive chef position of the recently developed area within the hotel known as The District. Featuring Rusty’s Sports Bar & Grill, where any of the big games can be watched on the more than 20 televisions; Findley’s Irish Pub, with authentic Irish food and beer; and Fuse Nightclub, the Vegas-style hot spot that has sparked interest not only in its entertainment but in the delectable tapas-style appetizers served there, The District has become an entertainment hub at the hotel. Previously, Owenby served as the executive chef Cascades Seafood Restaurant, as well as the executive chef at Old Hickory Steakhouse, the hotel’s marquee restaurant.
Owenby’s upbringing in the nation’s South brought about endless opportunities in the kitchen. Whether he was chopping vegetables or cleaning off plates, this world-class chef quickly absorbed that region’s cuisine and customs. He was born in Asheville, North Carolina and was raised until adulthood in Knoxville, Tennessee. It was a move to Baton Rouge, Louisiana at the age of 21, though, that truly sparked his interest in cooking. His exposure to authentic Cajun cooking taught him proper seasoning techniques and exposed him to familiar flavors and ingredients composed in a manner he had never before seen. This is also where Owenby learned the art of cooking uncomplicated—yet unforgettable—food.
A graduate of the New England Culinary Institute in Essex, Vermont, Owenby has gained extensive experience as a chef. He has worked at several world-class restaurants and properties, such as the Palace Café in New Orleans; the five-star, five-diamond Williamsburg Inn in Williamsburg, Vermont; and the Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort in Northern Michigan. But it was his stint at the Williamsburg Inn under Hans Schadler that taught him the difference between good food and fine dining. That knowledge propelled him to the Old Hickory Steakhouse at Gaylord Opryland, where he crafted his culinary magic and helped maintain the DiRoNA (Distinguished Restaurants of North America) Award in 2005.
Owenby’s longest-standing mentor is Brent Hinz, the current director of hospitality at the Isle of Capri Hotel and Casino in Colorado. The pair worked together at three different properties, spanning three states and ten years.
Wherever he is crafting his cuisine masterpieces, Owenby’s favorite aspect of being a chef is revealed—he loves teaching and molding his staff with what he knows. He finds reward in exposing motivated, curious young chefs to new things. Simple, uncomplicated cooking is his specialty and is an art he has truly honed at Cascades, one of the most prestigious seafood restaurants in the Southeast.
When he’s not in the kitchen at work, Owenby likes to camp and take vacations with his wife. They enjoy venturing into the Tennessee countryside in search of obscure and unknown barbecue restaurants. He brews his own beer and dabbles in art from time to time.
