BIO:

Executive Chef Dustin Willett joined RIVUE Restaurant & Lounge in September 2013.  He says he's looking forward to building his team and offering an extraordinary dining experience to guests from their first step into the restaurant lobby to the last bite on their plate and beyond.  Dustin believes by offering consistent quality and casual refinement, guests will enjoy the entire experience. He plans to do this by continuing RIVUE's commitment to serving the freshest foods and drinks possible, while bringing his own signature twist on Southern, Contemporary American, and International foods.  His goal is to make RIVUE the best in the city and region. 
Dustin grew up in Birmingham, Alabama where he developed a taste for Southern food and a passion for culinary arts.  He started working in the restaurant industry at the age of 15 and decided to pursue a degree in culinary arts at Culinard in Birmingham.  After graduating, Dustin moved to New Orleans and landed his first job at Stella.  This small, independent restaurant served as a great opportunity for him to work closely with the chef and learn even more.  He soon moved on to Cobalt in the Hotel Monaco in New Orleans where he worked as a Sous Chef for two years.  As for so many people, Hurricane Katrina changed Dustin's path in life, and in 2005, he moved within the Kimpton Hotels Group to Boston for a short time.  Dustin then returned to New Orleans to help open the restaurant Seven on Fulton.  In 2006, Dustin could not pass up the opportunity to move to Washington, DC to work in Urbana Restaurant in the Palomar Hotel where he was promoted to Executive Sous Chef.  He then moved to the Four Seasons, DC as an Executive Sous Chef in 2008.  In his five years at the Four Seasons, Dustin helped open a new restaurant and innovate the hotel's catering options to be more restaurant-style offerings for banquets.  
 

PHILOSOPHY:

Dustin enjoys spending time with his wife Lerma and their infant son Troy when he's not working at RIVUE Restaurant & Lounge.  He is enjoying getting to know Louisville, its people, and it's thriving culinary scene.