Chef Brad Nelson of Marriott International, Inc. - Biography

At 6 years old, as other children were arguing with their parents over the merits of sugar cereal, Seattle native Brad Nelson was convincing his mom to let him cook. She consented, and by the time Nelson took his first job as a line cook at 16, there was no looking back.

Thirty-seven years later, Nelson isn’t just cooking, he’s overseeing an array of kitchens and concepts as Vice President, Culinary and Global Corporate Chef for Marriott International. He helms a hotel infrastructure that’s swapped the old-school “please everyone” hospitality style for distinctive, regionally-authentic concepts. A long-time advocate of sustainability, Nelson also created the Marriot seafood sustainability program Future Fish.

In 2012, he was awarded the Food Arts “Silver Spoon Award” and in 2014 he received the International Food Manufacturers Association “Silver Plate Award.” Nelson serves on the Advisory Board of Le Cordon Bleu Schools and is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, James Beard Foundation, American Culinary Federation, and the Research Chefs Association.

An avid traveler, Nelson is inspired by the foods of Central America and Mexico, and fell in love with street food by way of China and Thailand.