Joe started working in restaurants in 1977, his first job as a host in the busy Houlihan’s Old Place in Hackensack, New Jersey. In 1987, he began study at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY.
After graduation Joe was given a fellowship at The Culinary Institute’s Escoffier Room Restaurant before becoming the Executive Sous Chef at the prestigious Cherokee Town and Country Club.
In the following years leading up to opening The Corner Kitchen, Joe held Executive Chef positions at Indigo Coastal Grill, The Druid Hills Golf Club in Atlanta, and the United Nations in New York City.
Joe met Kevin via their sons, both named Matthew, and a crazy idea to start a restaurant was born, and they purchased the former location of Hathaway’s Cafe at the very beginning of Asheville’s culinary renaissance. The rest is history.
Joe describes his partnership with Kevin like this: “Kevin is an anchor to me. He is steady, conservative, loving and intelligent. We have worked together the better part of 19 years and I can honestly say I have no regrets.”
Kevin spent his college years as a manager in a busy retail setting. 15 years before starting The Corner Kitchen, he worked in corporate operations and management roles, including a position for one of the largest for-profit home care agencies in the country and running an internal Information Technology support structure that took calls from all 50 states.
Customer service and guest experiences are primary on his list of concerns. Kevin has always been dedicated to making the total experience in our restaurants resoundingly positive for our guests, employees and owners.
Kevin met Joe via their sons, both named Matthew, through what is now known as the YMCA Adventure Guides program. A crazy idea to start a restaurant was born, and the rest is history. Since then, Corner Kitchen and Chestnut have been intertwined with the lives of both families, giving real weight to the words ‘family business.’
Service to the community is important to both Kevin and co-owner Joe Scully. When he’s not at one of the restaurants helping solve IT issues (some things never change), he works with the boards of Eliada, the Asheville Independent Restaurant Association, and the UNC Asheville Foundation.
Vanessa was born and raised on the island of Malta by German and Dutch parents. Malta, like Asheville, has a strong tourism industry, which was Vanessa’s work foundation until college. Upon graduation, Vanessa became a fundraiser and worked in nonprofits for 15 years.
In 2014, Vanessa married into the restaurant business after meeting co-owner Joe Scully, and has since learned all aspects of the business from HR to marketing to accounting, and is recently the acting COO as Joe and Kevin slowly make their way towards retirement.
Vanessa has two grown step-children (from Joe), Matthew and Genevieve. Matthew is a part owner of local pizza joint Del Vecchios, and Genevieve lives in Seattle working as a marketing guru. Joe and Vanessa have a nearly 5 year old who keeps them on their P’s and Q’s! While not at work (but always working!), Vanessa enjoys spending time with Joe and Frankie outside, swimming, or adventuring, and indulging in the amazing selection of food and wine that WNC has to offer.
According to his parents, Brad Philpott was born in Maryland and raised in Northern Virginia.
Brad's gravitation towards restaurant hospitality was driven in part by his mother's passion for healthcare and a desire to reach beyond his father's lack of culinary ability. His first taste of the industry was as a 15-year-old busser/dishwasher, and although it seemed life could not become more glamorous, Brad dared to dream.
Between Brad's jobs with large corporate chains, small Lowcountry diners, fine dining joints, or late-night spots, two truths string it all together; a great restaurant treats all positions equally from the bottom up, and if you want your guests to have a fabulous time, you better ensure your staff is having a blast, too.
Brad found a welcome place at Westmoreland & Scully, finding Joe and Kevin like-minded individuals who have fostered a warm and healthy culture in their restaurants.
When he's not at Chestnut, Brad enjoys time with his wife Breanne, and their golden lab Simon. Yardwork, podcasts, movies from 94', 97' and 99', the works of Matthew Weiner and David Simon, the golden age of streaming television, and somber rock are his other indulgences.
Joel Lemay was born in Orlando, Florida, but moved away at the age of one and was raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. He attended school in New Orleans, endured Hurricane Katrina, relocated to Georgia for two years, and eventually returned home to Louisiana.
Joel's passion for food began at a young age, inspired by his older brother, who was a talented chef in New Orleans. He fell in love with food by watching his brother cook, smelling and tasting his creations, and visiting him in various French Quarter restaurants. Seeing him work alongside other chefs and observing the operations of those kitchens always felt magical. His brother was a great chef, but addiction hindered him. He passed away in 2007.
Joel began his restaurant career at a family-owned 24-hour diner in Metairie, Louisiana, where he started as a server alongside his sister. He worked his way through the restaurant, taking on roles as a delivery driver and dishwasher before eventually being trained in the kitchen. When he was offered a position in the kitchen, he was immediately enthused to pursue the career his brother pursued and potentially carry on his passion. Within about a year, Joel was offered the Executive Chef position, and has been working in kitchens ever since. During his time with the company, he managed multiple locations and learned a lot about food and people.
After a few years, Joel moved on to work for OSI Restaurants, where he spent nearly 10 years. Based out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, he served as a traveling trainer, supporting restaurants across multiple states while helping build and train teams to open new locations in Texas and California.
In 2017, Joel moved to Memphis, Tennessee, to support multiple locations with OSI’s concept Bonefish Grill locations as Culinary Manager. In 2019, he left to open a new restaurant, Moondance Grill, as Executive Chef. In 2022, he stepped away to spend a year learning the art of Memphis barbecue before joining Brazen Restaurant Group to open Bog & Barley in Memphis. In 2025, Joel helped open Maeve's Tavern in Collierville, Tennessee, and became Director of Kitchen Operations for Brazen Restaurant Group, overseeing its collective of restaurants.
Joel and his wife, Ashley, relocated to Asheville in early July of 2026, where he joined Westmoreland & Scully as Executive Chef for both Chestnut and Corner Kitchen. He is very excited for this new opportunity.
Joel believes in building great cultures within great companies. He wants to be a beacon of knowledge and support for his teams, helping to grow and drive chefs who have a passion for this industry. He is grateful for the opportunity to move to Asheville and become part of a community full of great food, culture, and great people.
Eli, California born and Florida raised recently moved to Western North Carolina with his family. He has been in the restaurant industry since high school, working his way through FOH and BOH positions until management became his calling and career.
Eli moved his family, including his fiancé Kaya and daughter Charlotte, and beloved dog Winston to the Asheville area to become apart of the Chestnut community and family.
Eli is an avid sports fan and loves spending his free time either on the golf course or at the basketball courts. Eli has thoroughly enjoyed being apart of Chestnut and is excited to continue growing in his role here. He has began exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains and hiking since moving from the flatlands of Florida!
Brooke grew up in a small town in southeastern Idaho, where potato fields meet the Teton Mountains. Her hospitality journey began as a dishwasher in a country diner and has since taken her through family-owned restaurants, luxury private residences, and five-star grand hotels. She has always loved how food brings people together, believing that life’s best moments are often shared over a great meal.
Over the past 12 years, Brooke has traveled seasonally across the country working in hospitality and outdoor adventure tourism, including leading multi-day river expeditions complete with riverside, three-course Dutch oven dinners and wine pairings. After moving to Asheville three years ago to be closer to family and friends, she has enjoyed immersing herself in Southern hospitality and food culture. Outside of work, Brooke can often be found hiking, kayaking, skiing, baking sweets, hosting dinner parties, or watercolor painting.
