Sometimes, an opportunity arises where you least expect it. And that's how Chef Brandyn Thompson landed at Elevation Nation as our Corporate Chef. We sat down with Brandyn to learn a little more about how he got into foodservice, the things he loves about being in the foodservice industry, and some of his biggest influences (and cheerleaders).
Tell us a little about yourself and how you ended up at Elevation.
I was born and raised in the Arvada, Colorado area. I got my Associate degree in Culinary Arts & Science, along with my Bachelor's degree from Johnson & Wales University. After college, my career led me to become a sous chef for Viewhouse Ballpark and The Country Club at Castle Pines. Most recently, I was a Back of House Director for Chick-fil-A. Needless to say, I LOVE food!! More importantly, I love having the opportunity to create amazing memories through food.
I ended up coming to Elevation through a great networking opportunity through my dad who got me in contact with the team here. I couldn’t be more excited about this amazing opportunity to join the Elevation Nation Team!
Why do you think the foodservice industry is so important?
At the end of the day, everyone needs to eat, so why not make the food an experience or a memory that will last a lifetime? What I truly love about the foodservice industry is the hospitality side of it. We get to create solutions and help problem-solve for people every day through our products, our relationships, and through our food.
Foodservice and the hospitality industry ultimately help bring people together. Whether it’s for a sense of comfort or even a sense of belonging, I believe it can be a gateway to bringing happiness to the entire world.
Who are your biggest influences?
One of the biggest influences in my life is my dad. Growing up I played football, basketball, and baseball and was always around competitive sports. From a very young age, my dad would help motivate me to always want to perform better in anything I was doing. From hitting a baseball all the way to the classroom, my dad helped mold a strong work ethic that has stayed with me to date.
I also would say that another big influence in my life would be my walk with God. I believe that who I am and how I carry myself each day is based strictly on my faith. I always strive to serve and help others around me as I would like to be treated or served. This has led me to have the ability to build strong relationships with those around me.
What do you enjoy most about working at Elevation?
What I enjoy most about working at Elevation so far is waking up and being excited to come to work every day. I love the atmosphere that has been created at the office. Everyone is extremely nice and is willing to answer any questions that I have. I love the ability to help our customers by creating amazing food with our products and helping solve current chain issues that they are experiencing.
What are some of your passions outside of work?
I love my family! Anytime that I can spend time with my family I value the most! I recently got married two years ago to my beautiful wife Kendall, and we just had our first baby girl, Della, last March.
I am very passionate about cooking (go figure), and love to experiment and cook different cuisines at home. I also LOVE all sports and have recently picked up playing golf. If I could go out and golf three to four times a week, I would be in my happy place. I also like to produce music on the side as a hobby. I love 80’s hairband music (Def Leppard, Metallica, Scorpions, Motley Crüe, etc.).
What's your favorite vacation spot?
A week's cruise to the Caribbean! I love spending time anywhere in Florida as well.
Do you have anything at the top of your bucket list?
I would love to travel to Bora Bora, Fuji, and Italy before I die someday. And it has always been a bucket list of mine to own a Camero SS.
What's your go-to restaurant and meal?
My go-to meal is a tie between an Angus Ribeye Steak and a nice glass of red wine or a pepperoni pizza and an ice cold beer! I love any Thai restaurant around, and my favorite spot to grab a beer is at a local brewery or the Yardhouse.
Thanks for talking with us Brandyn and welcome to the team!
Schedule some time with Chef Brandyn in our test kitchen. Whether you want to develop your menu or demo some new equipment, we're here to help:
