Kevin Gillespie: Bravo’s Top Chef Finalist

The hectic environment inside of a kitchen may make it feel like it’s a step outside of reality. That’s a feeling Kevin Gillespie understands well. As a contestant on Bravo’s Top Chef, Kevin made it to the final round—winning several “QuickFire” challenges along the way.

Creating unique food pairings—including escargots with an innovative bacon jam—Kevin found himself at the top or in the top three of nearly every elimination challenge. He also had the distinction of sitting at the judges’ table with legendary Chef Joel Rubuchon, considered one of the world’s best chefs.
 
It’s not the first time Kevin decided to show off his skills in a competitive setting. Kevin was named The Art Institutes Best Teen Chef while still in high school, earning scholarship money to attend The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Atlanta. A Georgia native, Kevin knew from an early age that The Art Institute of Atlanta was the right school for him. His parents even took him on a campus tour when he was still a youngster.
 
Taking the skills he gained in school into the real world, Kevin joined the kitchen staff at Atlanta Grill at The Ritz-Carlton and then began pursing a culinary career that would allow him to create dishes with fresh, organic, sustainable ingredients. Getting there took him to Portland, Oregon, but he soon returned to Atlanta’s Woodfire Grill where he now works as Executive Chef and part owner. Woodfire Grill’s atmosphere and quality of food fit Kevin perfectly and allowed him to fulfill his goal to finally depart from the “large, super-hip, ultra-busy kind of restaurants” he was looking to escape.