Chaz Brown

Chef Chaz Brown is an accomplished culinary executive, entrepreneur, and television personality with over two decades of experience leading world-class hospitality and event operations. A graduate of the French Culinary Institute, Chaz has built a distinguished career leading multimillion-dollar food and beverage programs, pioneering operational excellence, and driving innovation at the intersection of cuisine and technology.

Chef Brown’s career highlights include serving as Executive Banquet Chef at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose, California, where he directed over $40 million in annual event sales. He oversaw landmark events such as the Google Holiday Party—a two-day, $3 million production featuring over $1 million in food—and the NCAA College Football Playoff events, both of which showcased his unmatched ability to execute complex, large-scale functions with precision and creativity.

At the Hard Rock Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Chef Brown guided over $20 million in event-driven food operations during the challenging COVID-19 era, earning recognition for his leadership, adaptability, and commitment to quality under pressure.

Most recently, as Regional Executive Chef for The Garces Group, headquartered at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, he oversaw an expansive operation generating over $10 million in combined sales, including $4.5 million in offsite catering, $2.7 million in onsite catering, $1.2 million in concessions, $600,000 in café operations, and $1.2 million at Volvér, the group’s flagship restaurant. In this role, he also spearheaded culinary operations for a James Beard Award-winning restaurant group, ensuring consistency, innovation, and excellence across multiple brands.

Beyond the kitchen, Chaz is also the Founder of xtraCHEF, a groundbreaking restaurant inventory and management software. Leveraging his deep industry knowledge and business acumen, he helped design a platform that redefined how restaurants approach cost control, purchasing, and data-driven decision-making. xtraCHEF quickly became an industry standard and was acquired by Toast, Inc. in 2020 for $83 million, cementing Chef Brown’s reputation as both a culinary and technology innovator.

A Top Chef alumnus and featured contestant on Bravo’s Around the World in 80 Plates, Chaz also won the Tilit Pitch Competition—judged by Tom Colicchio, Kevin Boehm, and Chris Stang—earning the title of “Hottest Restaurant Concept of 2024” and a $20,000 award.

Whether leading culinary teams, executing high-profile events, or disrupting the restaurant tech landscape, Chef Chaz Brown continues to elevate every aspect of the hospitality experience through vision, precision, and passion.