MEET THE CHEFS
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NADINE THOMAS, Executive Chef, W Austin Executive Chef Nadine Thomas comes to the W Austin and Trace with a commitment to combining her background of healthful, seasonal fare with Austin’s abundance of locally grown and crafted components. Coming to Austin from the Jamieson Grille in Alexandria Virginia, Thomas has led culinary teams for Westin Hotels for over 15 years. A native of British Columbia, Canada, Thomas drew inspiration early on from Victoria’s mild climate and year-round blooming gardens. After completing culinary apprenticeships in Victoria, she began her career at the Owl’s Nest Dining Room, rated one of the top 100 fine dining rooms in Canada. From there she rose through the ranks, fine-tuning her technique and creating locally-driven cuisine as she traveled through the country. She oversees all the culinary facets of the W Austin including TRACE, in-room dining, banquet functions, off-site catering and more. Thomas is continuously devoted to using quality ingredients and creating innovative dining experiences for guests at the W Austin. |
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VALERIE BROUSSARD, Forager A Louisiana native, Valerie Broussard spent 11 years in New York City as a chef, food stylist and writer. She then completed an MA in Food Culture and Communications from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Parma, Italy before moving to Austin, where she most recently was the Organic Food Coordinator at Barr Mansion and volunteers as Slow Food Austin's Biodiversity Chair. Valerie joined W Austin as Forager, sourcing local ingredients from nearby farms, and cheeses, cured meats, jams and even hot sauce from artisanal producers. Photo Credit: Marshall Wright |
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JANINA O'LEARY, Executive Pastry Chef
Janina O'Leary is no stranger to the world of fine pastry. A graduate of The French Culinary Institute with a Grand Diploma in Pastry Arts, O'Leary stepped directly out the classroom and into her training under Laurent Tourendel in 2004 at BLT Prime in New York City. For the next five years, she moved from one high-end kitchen to the next, from Daniel to Per Se and on to Del Posto. Her talents were in demand outside of the restaurant industry as well. In 2009, she consulted on recipe development and photography for a Martha Stewart cookbook. O'Leary opened New York City's Village Tart as Executive Chef before heading back to her native Texas to assume the position of Executive Pastry Chef at Trace in the W Hotel Austin. She brings her exceptional expertise, passion and discipline to the "conscious cuisine" concept of Trace Austin.
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