Partner
Randy Rayburn
Most people first meet Randy Rayburn at his nationally renowned Midtown Cafe on 19th Avenue South that opened in 1987, or Cabana, opened in 2005, in Hillsboro Village in Nashville. They are, however, just as likely to meet him in and around Nashville as a community and hospitality industry leader.
Raised on a 27 acre farm in Milan, TN with 5 acres of strawberries, he washed dishes in the 4th grade and later worked during high school at the Milan Supermarket, where he gained culinary skills beyond his Grandmother’s home cooking. After graduating from UT-Knoxville, he returned to Nashville and started his career while going to night law school in 1975. He dropped out of law school later to pursue his dream of owning his own restaurant. He worked in numerous restaurants, including Gaylord Opryland Hotel in management and opened 11 restaurants in the Nashville area for others before selling his home in 1990 to open his iconic trend setting Sunset Grill.
From 1999 to 2009, he served on the Board and as Chairman of the Nashville Convention Center and Co-Chair of the Mayor’s Task Force that led to our new Music City Center. In 2011, the Nashville State Community College and its faculty unanimously voted to name the NSCC Culinary Program, the Randy Rayburn School of Culinary Arts, which he started in 1998. He now serves on the Board of the Music City Center Authority, Chair of the local restaurant industry government relations group Kitchen Table and Chair of the Greater Nashville Hospitality Association PAC.
He was also selected as a single-unit finalist for the National Restaurant Association Neighbor Award. He received both the Restaurateur of the Year by the American Culinary Federation - Middle TN and the TN Restaurant Association in 2000, and the Tennessee Hospitality Association in 2012.
He resides in East Nashville with his two young sons, Duke and Dean, and likely be found hosting the door breakfast and lunch weekdays at his Midtown Cafe.
Randy can be contacted at:
Randy.Rayburn@MusicCityHC.com
(615) 300-4154
partner
Dr. Paul Brennen
EdD, WCMC, AAC, CEC, CCA, ACE, FMP
World Certified Master Chef Dr. Paul Brennen believes experience combined with solid education is extremely important to the success of anyone within the hospitality industry. Master Chef Brennen has chosen to study at some on the top post-secondary institutions in the United States ranging from his Associate of Applied Science degree through his Doctorate of Education degree. He has focused for years trainingunder some the top chefs at places such as the Breakers Resort on Palm Beach and the Grand Hotel on Mackinaw Island as well as various other globally recognized hospitality establishments. Through these years of rigorous training and education Master Chef Brennen has been able to obtain the highest global certification for a chef, which is a World Certified Master Chef through the World Association of Chefs Society as well as been inducted into the American Academy of Chefs through the American Culinary Federation. Master Chef Brennen is one of the youngest chefs to ever be awarded these prestigious honors. He also has the distinct pleasure of holding various other high-level industry certifications through the American Culinary Federation placing him small and elite group of global chefs. After multiple years of education and industry certifications Master Chef Brennen continues to hone his craft focusing on all aspects of the industry.
A “small town” chef with big time industry experience hailing from St Mary’s Pennsylvania, World Master Chef Dr. Paul Brennen has lived all over the United States and Nashville Tennessee is exactly where he wants to be helping develop the future of an already outstanding hospitality scene.
Paul can be contacted at:
Paul.Brennen@MusicCityHC.com
(412) 973-4057