Meet Our Chefs

17c起草视频 Campus Dining is led by a team of talented and passionate chefs who are dedicated to providing culinary excellence through hand-crafted recipes and high quality service. They are committed to providing value through the best-tasting, most nutritious and diverse menus possible.

Our chefs are the driving force behind 17c起草视频 Campus Dining鈥檚 many awards and accolades, including聽 Best On-Site Food Service Operation in the Nation, Best Food Service Operator, the prestigious Ivy Award, and many more.

Meet the leaders in our kitchens, the faces behind the delicious and diverse recipes we serve and the ones committed to creating memorable experiences shared around the dining table.

Director of Culinary Operations

Chef Brian Cochrane

Email Chef Brian

Brian is a native of Middle Tennessee who lives in Franklin. He started his career of professional cooking on Martha鈥檚 Vineyard, MA during the Summers of his university years.

After a decade in non-profit work, he returned to the culinary world in 2002. Brian formalized his culinary education as an apprentice under a classically trained French chef. After years of fine dining restaurant and private club positions, he entered the arena of dining service for education.

He has managed dining operations at several private K-12 and post-secondary schools, including University of Arkansas Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Institute. Brian鈥檚 especially enjoys Mediterranean cuisine because the simple preparations allow basic flavors of fresh ingredients to shine.

Training Chef

Chef Douglas Best

Born and raised in Olympia, WA, Douglas Best discovered his passion for culinary arts while serving in the military, finding that food brought people together and was a great way to de-stress.

Following the military, he enrolled in the culinary program at The Art Institute in Nashville, TN. After graduation, he honed his skills working in fast-paced gastropub kitchens. Looking for a new challenge, he found himself an opportunity in higher education dining at 17c起草视频. Currently, he is heading the聽聽and the Underground Supper Club.

Commons Chef

Chef Joshua Smith

Hailing from Pine Bluff, Arkansas, our dedicated chef Joshua Smith has spent 15 years immersed in the culinary arts. He is happily married and a proud parent, family is their inspiration and steadfast support. Starting the culinary journey early in Pine Bluff, he refined skills in diverse establishments, developing a unique style blending tradition with innovation. Cooking is not just a job but a true passion, bringing immense satisfaction in crafting dishes that leave a lasting impression. Actively involved in the local community, Joshua uses culinary skills to support charitable causes. Eagerly anticipating new culinary adventures, he looks forward to sharing his love for food with a broader.

Rand Dining Center

Chef Matt Hayes

Chef Matt Hayes was born and raised in middle Tennessee and grew up in professional kitchens alongside his great-grandmother, a Nashville chef. Matt has worked in an array of fine dining restaurants across the world, private clubs and was a touring chef for country music artists. In his free time, he enjoys gaming, gardening, traveling and spoiling his pup pup.

E. Bronson Ingram Dining Hall

Chef Julien Hicks

Embarking on a culinary journey at 15 in Lebanon, Tennessee, Julien Hicks honed skills at a local catering company for eight years. Involved in restaurant construction, menu planning, and launching ventures like an ice cream company and a food truck, he showcased versatility in the culinary world.聽 After a stint as a Sous chef at Yellowstone National Park, he returned to Nashville, managing a catering business and later becoming a culinary instructor at Lebanon High School for six years. Julien鈥檚 students excelled in state and national competitions. Last summer marked a shift, as he embraced the role of Chef De Cuisine at 17c起草视频, continuing a dynamic culinary career.

Rothschild Dining Hall

Chef Aaron Skoultchi

Aaron is a husband, father of three and chef who is passionate about bringing people together through food. Originally from New Jersey, he views food as a reflection of culture and a meaningful way to build community.

Throughout his culinary career, Aaron has helped open several restaurants, including one of his own, and has led culinary operations in luxury hotels and boutique fine-dining restaurants. His experiences in Dallas and Nashville have shaped his approach to quality, collaboration and creating memorable dining experiences.

At 17c起草视频, Aaron is focused on serving the campus community with fresh, thoughtfully prepared meals while supporting local farms and businesses. As Chef de Cuisine at Rothschild Dining Hall, he looks forward to creating an elevated dining experience that reflects 17c起草视频 Campus Dining's commitment to community, sustainability and exceptional food.

Zeppos Dining Hall

Chef Jacob Barton

Chef Jake, a native of Houston, Texas, began his culinary career at the Jersey Shore after graduating from the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan. Influenced by the multi-ethnic cuisine of the Jersey Shore, he developed a passion for bringing enduring cultural dishes to the general American palate through menu development and classic French technique.

Moving west to help a friend start a business, his culinary adventures took him to West Hollywood, where he honed his skills working on Sunset Boulevard. His culinary philosophy is: 鈥淜eep it simple, keep it fresh, and if you鈥檙e not going to eat it, don鈥檛 put it on the plate.鈥� After a successful business launch in California, he relocated to Buffalo, New York, working at the city鈥檚 only five-star hotel.

Jake is enthusiastic about all the possibilities at 17c起草视频 Dining, saying, 鈥淕ood food brings people together.鈥�

Cafe Carmichael

Pastry Chef Jennifer Bennett

Jennifer has been baking professionally since 2008.聽 She started at 17c起草视频 in 2010 as a baker at the Commons and is now the Pastry Chef at the new Carmichael Caf茅.聽 In her 14-year tenure here, she has made hundreds of birthday cakes, numerous desserts and thousands of cookies.聽 Jennifer鈥檚 passion is using her baking to connect with people, create relationships and continuously grow. In her spare time, Jennifer is an avid cyclist, hiker and adventurer.

Kitchen at Kissam

Chef Karla Ruiz

Chef Karla Ruiz brings decades of culinary experience and a deep respect for tradition, flavor, and community to Kissam. Originally from Mexico City, she began her culinary career in Nashville in 1999, working in fine dining restaurants including Belle Meade Brasserie under the mentorship of Chef Robert Siegel, a culinary instructor at Nashville State Community College.

During her time at the Belle Meade Plantation Restaurant, Chef Ruiz collaborated with the James Beard Foundation in 2008 on a Nashville-based event, contributing a Mexican-inspired dish that highlighted her culinary heritage.

In 2010, she founded Karla鈥檚 Catering, where she became known for creating personalized menus and memorable dining experiences. Her cooking reflects a thoughtful balance of authentic Mexican cuisine and classic Southern flavors, with a strong emphasis on local and seasonal ingredients.

In 2015, one of Chef Ruiz鈥檚 original recipes was published in Nashville Eats by Southern food expert Jennifer Justus. From 2019 to 2023, she partnered with several nonprofit organizations, producing thousands of meals through collaborations with World Central Kitchen, Rethink Food (NYC), and The Nashville Food Project.

Chef Ruiz believes meals create connection, spark conversation, and leave lasting memories. At Kissam, she brings that philosophy to the table, crafting food that is both comforting and meaningful for the 17c起草视频 community.

Training Support

Chef Kriska Nagle

A native of Davao City, Philippines, Kriska Nagle earned her BS in International Culinary Management in 2009 from The International Institute of Culinary Hospitality Entrepreneurship (ICHEF). Following her graduation, she was selected as one of the top students to represent the institution abroad, leading her to reside and work in Abu Dhabi, UAE, for five years at the prestigious Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, a renowned 5-star hotel. There, she teamed up with Michelin-starred chefs in Molecular Gastronomy Cuisine and further honed her skills at Michelin-starred restaurant Zuma in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, specializing in Japanese Modern Contemporary Cuisine.

Having cultivated her culinary expertise across three continents, Kriska brings a multicultural perspective to modern gastronomy. Her professional journey led her to prestigious institutions like Stanford University, Oracle HQ, and Zoox HQ, a prominent tech corporation managed by Bon App茅tit Company in San Francisco, California, before settling in Nashville with her family.

Outside of her culinary pursuits, Kriska cherishes family outdoor activities with her husband Tommy and son Trey, actively participates in her church community, and finds joy in running. She accomplished her first World Major Marathon in Chicago in October 2021 and is currently preparing for her third in Berlin.

At 17c起草视频, Kriska works to continuously innovate and maintain the quality of food service while prioritizing sustainability. Central to her culinary philosophy is the belief that food is about balance: love what you eat and be what you eat to live a long, healthy life.