Rob Nelson
PARTNER, EXECUTIVE CHEF
Chef Rob Nelson is our executive chef and part owner. He has appeared on the Food Network, serves on the Brightwater Advisory Board, and served as the president of the Arkansas Restaurant Association (2019). Locally, he is a five-time finalist for Best Chef around the State (Arkansas Times, 2014-2018) and has been twice nominated to the Department of Arkansas Heritage Hall of Fame (2018 & 2019). Nationwide, Chef Nelson has been a 5-time participant at the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival as talent and serving on the Advisory Council (2014-2018), has presented coursed dinners at the famed James Beard House in New York City (2013, 2016, 2019) and recently won 'Best Whole Hog' at Pig Island in NYC in early 2020. Chef Rob served as a USDA Culinary Ambassador in St. Petersburg, Russia (2017), and studied and worked in France, including Michelin-starred restaurant La Mirande in Rousse.