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.
Recognized as a “culinary game-changer” in Zagat Magazine and as one of the “top 30 chefs under 30” during his time in Colorado, Brian’s career began modestly but has consistently grown alongside his talents.
With a family of seven children, it wasn’t easy for Brian’s mother to feed everyone, but she managed. Her resourcefulness and ingenuity in the kitchen inspired Brian; to this day, he gets nostalgic picking beans, peeling potatoes, and reminiscing about her famous bacon-fried chicken.
While at culinary school, Brian started working at The Corner Kitchen where he developed a greater measure of culinary expression. “It was truly the cornerstone of my career, as it taught me to be a well-rounded cook.” It was there that he had the opportunity to cook for the former President and First Lady of the United States Barack and Michelle Obama. After culinary school, he landed a sous chef position at Asheville’s renowned Grove Park Inn.
In 2011, Brian became the Executive Chef at Devil’s Food Bakery & Cookery in Denver at only 24 years of age. Following his tenure there, he collaborated with the owner, architect, and contractor in a restaurant project called Bacon Social House.
Brian returned to North Carolina to become Chestnut’s Executive Chef in 2017. “Reuniting with a family that I worked with in the past was something I could not pass up,” he said. “I firmly believe in Chestnut’s core values and culture and feel blessed by this amazing opportunity.”
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.
Ashley found her first real passion in life cooking with her dad, using ingredients gathered from the family garden. With both parents working to make ends meet, she took over family meal planning and discovered a knack for cooking. Dinner time was an experience that brought them together at the table each night to share laughs & good food, so she aims to recreate that same experience in the dishes she makes for restaurant guests.
She has always felt a strong affinity for the beautiful mountain skyline & outdoors. While in Boone, NC, she learned the culture and skills required in a commercial kitchen by working her way up in local restaurants. After graduating from App State with a bachelor's degree, she migrated to Asheville, NC, to remain close to the mountains. Five years ago, while looking for a welcoming but challenging place to work, Chestnut was the clear winner, embodying the things that drive her as a chef: a seasonal focus, local produce, and a constantly evolving menu.
When Ashley's not working away in the kitchen, you can find her on a kayak adventure, in the garden, or nestled away in a craft room somewhere.
Paul grew up in Charleston, SC, where he spent his adolescence on the water with friends going fishing, crabbing, and shrimping. Starting in the dish pit in high school, he quickly became a line cook.
Working at a small Italian restaurant he found his love of making fresh pasta and learned the art of cheese making. Living in the lowcountry, the access to unique local food and West African influences inspired the way he cooks today.
Renee grew up on the green slopes of Vermont. Her fondest memory is playing in the dirt of her family’s vegetable gardens, and her dog days were filled helping her French-Canadian grandmothers and her mother cook. Inspired by this introduction to hospitality and sustainability, Renee sought a culinary degree at the New England Culinary Institute.
In 2012 she began an internship at the Biltmore Estate and experienced food and beverage hospitality on a grand scale while honing her skills. Here she met the love of her life and husband, Brad, himself a quintessential example of southern hospitality.
Renee graduated with a BA in Hospitality and Restaurant Management and AOS in Culinary Art in 2013. Eventually she was drawn to a position at Chestnut by the farm-to-table approach and family-like camaraderie. In charge of the wine program, Renee aimed to create a list that would please every guest, earning Chestnut three years of Wine Spectator Awards of Excellence.
Renee was promoted to the General Manager of Corner Kitchen in July of 2020 and helped the restaurant reopen during the pandemic with al fresco dining on the sidewalk and a new takeout model, allowing the restaurant to not only survive but thrive. Renee is temporarily an AGM at Chestnut while Corner Kitchen is being rebuilt.
Sarah grew up in New Jersey, where she spent many summers and weekends working in her father’s deli. This began her foundation for hospitality, and she has learned a lot from her parents who both are active in the community. Sarah moved to Florida in 2014, where she studied Psychology at Valencia College. She took her first restaurant management job in Orlando, where she became engrossed in service standards in the hospitality center of the world. She developed a training program that she took to other restaurants in the company.
From here, her next goal was to become more educated in wine, beer, and cocktails. She completed her Level 1 examination in 2018 from the Court of Master Sommeliers. Shortly after, she received her WSET Level 2 from Slate Wine Academy with Master of Wine Jean K. Reilly. After many setbacks due to COVID-19, she finally had the opportunity to take her Level 2 Court of Sommeliers exam and passed. As a Certified Sommelier, Sarah applies her knowledge by empowering the staff to interpret wine intelligently and train them on regions and food pairings in order to enhance the guest experience.
Sarah moved to Asheville in June of 2021, and has been a part of the Corner Kitchen family ever since. She appreciates being a small part of the history of this house and the company Joe and Kevin built together. In her spare time, she likes to go out to eat and explore the beauty of Western North Carolina by going on hikes with her fiancé and her cat. Sarah is temporarily an AGM at Chestnut while Corner Kitchen is being rebuilt
