JW Marriott Nashville and Michael Mina’s Mina Group have promoted Quentin Welch to executive chef at Bourbon Steak, the swanky steakhouse at the top of the hotel.
Welch plans to stick with the formula that has made Bourbon Steak successful (those fries with the trio dipping sauces will stay on the menu), and she plans to continue to make it a place for “birthdays and anniversaries” for locals, as well as for well-heeled guests. “We push ourselves a lot,” she says of the restaurant’s reputation for high-end steak, seafood and wine, plus impeccable service.
While the restaurant is a steakhouse through and through, Welch appreciates that it “feels different, not stuffy or old-school.” Having a woman at the helm will further that approach in a realm that can sometimes feel like an old boys’ network. “I have been working at Mina for a while, so everybody knows me," says Welch. "If I were coming in brand-new it would be more challenging." Welch adds that many of the Bourbon Steak clientele are women (and the restaurant’s best city views are looking out from the windows in the women’s restroom), so some of those male-centric stereotypes may be outdated.
After the past year, Welch is ready to get back to robust nights with every seat filled. The restaurant and bar are open for dine-in service; there is still a slightly reduced number of seats at the bar.
Looking forward, Welch would like to help her staff be more connected with the community, and plans to start some outreach efforts with Nashville-based nonprofits, including helping her staff volunteer with area charities. She also hopes to be able to buy more local produce from Middle Tennessee farmers and purveyors. While most of the menu is constant, local produce will allow her to add more seasonal dishes.
Welch originally came to Nashville from Las Vegas, where she worked at Jaleo at the Cosmopolitan Hotel, Thomas Keller’s Bouchon in the Venetian Hotel, and Prime in the Bellagio Resort before joining the Mina Group as sous chef of StripSteak Las Vegas. She moved here to help open Bourbon Steak Nashville in 2018 and decided to stay, liking the city’s “fun and friendly” vibe. She loves her new home, but for the record, she isn’t a fan of the “Nash Vegas” moniker.
Of her job perks, Welch says she never gets tired of the view of the city from the 34th floor. While her team has a small office on one of the lower floors, they often use one of the restaurant’s private dining rooms as a makeshift office during the day. “Once I come upstairs it is easier to stay there. So, we go in the PDR and then we have the view. It is the best office in Nashville.”
