Nan brings her deep culinary roots and rich life experiences to every corner of Vinnie's South. From her beginning in Brooklyn, to 15 years in construction, to working her way through the culinary ranks to Executive Chef roles, Nan has done it all. Her leadership, warmth, and resilience unify the Vinnie’s family and make her an irreplaceable part of the team.

Andrew Parker, Head Dishwasher at The Original Vinnie’s, explains the importance of the dish pit, or the “water park” as he and his coworkers affectionately call it, and how it affects a restaurant in service.

“Food is the soul of a restaurant, and the cooks are the spirit behind it. The plates are what carry all of that, they are the pumping blood source. The dish pit is the heart.”

Former restaurant owner and teacher, and now General Manager at Jettie Rae’s Oyster House, Emily Abernathy has been on Guy’s Grocery Games and won, helped open Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian, and was part of the A-Team at Savoy, Eric Scheffer’s first restaurant, which put Asheville on the map as a dining destination in the early 2000s. We are thrilled to have her as part of our crew!

Chef Anai started at Vinnie's as a Pantry Cook, then worked her way up to become Head Chef of the #1 favorite restaurant in South Asheville.

In this article, learn more about Anai’s journey to Vinnie's South, and what it's like being a female in a male-dominated field.