Chef Graeme Blair
Arriving to The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa as a culinary intern in November of 2002, Chef Grame Blair - a Scotland native - was quickly noticed for his passion for cooking and engaging leadership demeanor. He quickly moved up in kitchen leadership, being promoted from Line Cook to Assistant Chef and finally to Sous Chef at Nellie Cashman's Monday Club Cafe. Here, Blair not only assisted in the creation of seasonal and specialty menu items, but was also responsible for training and mentoring new culinary associates.
In June 2009, Chef Blair was the first and only Chef in Westin Kierland Resort history to be promoted to Managing Chef and Chef de Cuisine of Brittlebush Bar & Grill. He used his experience and passion for cooking to take the Brittlebush dining experience to a new concept dining outlet. Not only does he manage Brittlebush's menu development, design and concept, he is also personally responsible for directing the kitchen staff as well as the front-of-house staff.
His first successful endeavor at Brittlebush has been launching the new "Gastro Pub" concept and menu. In adding to the Resort's many Scottish Experiences, the "Gastro Pub" menu offers a slight Scottish influence. The culinary efforts of Chef Blair boast some of his homeland favorites with a modern twist. "Gastro Pub: is a British term for a public house ("pub") which specializes in high-quality food steps above the more basic "pub grub." The name "Gastro Pub" is a portmanteau of pub and gastronomy and was coined in 1991 when David Eyre and Mike Belben opened The Eagle Pub in Clerkenwell, London. "Gastro Pubs" are generally known for a relaxed atmosphere as well as a menu that complements an assortment of beers and wines offered.
Blair attended the Arizona Culinary Institute in Phoenix, Ariz., where he received a Certificate of Completion in Culinary Studies. He also attended Napier University in Edinburgh, Scotland, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Computer Studies.