MEET OUR CHEFS

DIRECTOR, FOOD & BEVERAGE

Severin Nunn brings 20 years of culinary experience to his new role as director, food and beverage for The Omni Homestead Resort. In this position, he leads the overall operation and success of the resort’s multitude of dining outlets, banquets and special events. Nunn is also responsible for developing and maintaining a high-level of service standards and managing a team of more than 100 including chefs, wait staff and stewards. As a member of the Executive Committee, he partners with other resort leaders to ensure cross-departmental communication and implementation of key initiatives.

Nunn joined the resort in 2016 as executive chef following more than 10 years in Las Vegas. Prior to The Homestead, Nunn was with Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, where he rose from assistant executive chef to executive chef leading 19 departments. He also held positions in the kitchens of Bellagio Resort & Casino, Alain Ducasse’s miX at Delano Las Vegas and Restaurant Guy Savoy at Caesars Palace. Nunn launched his culinary career at The Trellis in Williamsburg, Virginia, before moving on to Restaurant Daniel in New York as chef de rotisseurs.

A native of Williamsburg, Virginia, Nunn grew up cooking fresh seafood, locally harvested game and produce from his personal garden. He earned an associate of occupational studies degree in culinary arts from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Nunn has been a valuable contributor to the Omni Hotels & Resorts food and beverage team, serving as one of five chefs at the Omni Hotels and Resort’s Culinary Showcase in New York City and as part of the 2018 brand wide Season of Smoke menu development team. Other professional accomplishments include being a featured chef for Vegas Uncork’d 2016 and winning the 10th Back of House Brawl, a food truck cook-off with acclaimed Chef Jason Johnston in 2012. Earlier in his career, his team won the Marc Sarrazin Cup at the International Hotel, Motel and Restaurant Show in New York.

EXECUTIVE CHEF

As executive chef, John Ferguson brings impressive culinary and organizational skills to this multi-faceted position. Chef Ferguson leads and directs all kitchen operations and menu creation for the resort’s seven restaurants and bars including the historic Dining Room, Jefferson’s Restaurant, Woody’s, Rubino’s at the Cascades as well as all banquet and catering events. In addition, he manages a team of more than 100 culinary professionals.

A native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, John joined The Omni Homestead family in September 2016 as executive sous chef and was promoted to his current role in October 2018. John received a degree in culinary arts from Indian Hills Community College and is a 2008 graduate of The Greenbrier’s Culinary Apprenticeship program where he worked in all of the resort’s restaurants as well as banquets and in room dining. His career, which has spanned more than 20 years, includes more than five years at the Bellagio in Las Vegas where he was responsible for four different kitchens and grew from sous chef to executive banquet sous chef where he managed events for as many as 2500.

EXECUTIVE PASTRY CHEF

As executive pastry chef, Héctor Cardwood Cruz brings a sweet finish to meals. He joins the team from Hyatt Ziva Zilara Resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica, where as pastry chef he spent two years overseeing the pastry shop and bakery preparing desserts for 13 outlets and banquets. Previously, Cruz was pastry chef and owner of The Gourmet Sweet Chef, a Puerto Rican-based operation offering fine dessert catering to restaurants, private chefs and private clubs across the island. Other assignments for Cruz in Puerto Rico included pastry chef at Boulangerie “Tradición Francesa” in San Juan; head baker at Repostería La Ceiba in San Juan; and pastry chef at Perla Restaurant at Hotel La Concha San Juan. Cruz also spent a year as a pastry instructor at Colegio Universitairo del Este in Carolina, P.R. He got his start as a pastry chef at the specialty cake maker Collette in New York City in 1991.

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Cruz earned a certificate in pastry arts with the highest honor in his class from New York Restaurant High School. He also spent four years of active service in the U.S. Navy. Among many accomplishments, the Annual Future Chef Convention named Cruz as Chef of the Year in 2005, and he won gold medals from the Caribbean Culinary Federation in 1996 and 2000.

BANQUET CHEF

In a return engagement with Omni Hotels & Resorts, Chef Wayde Carder oversees culinary operations and menu creation for the busy banqueting department at the 483-room resort. Most recently, Carder was the chef/owner of Capt. Mullins, an upscale casual restaurant serving Appalachian-inspired cuisine in Moorefield, W. Va. Prior to, he spent two years at the historic Omni Bedford Springs Resort as chef de cuisine, and also served as chef de cuisine under Michelin Star/Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian at Tudor House in Miami Beach and as executive sous chef at Prime One Twelve Steakhouse in Miami Beach. Carder’s culinary career began as an intern and line cook at the legendary Five Star, Five Diamond Inn at Little Washington in Washington, Va.

Hailing from Westernport, Md., Carder received an associate of science degree in culinary arts with honors from Le Cordon Bleu in Miami.

EXECUTIVE CHEF 

Todd joined The Omni Homestead family in 2019 as executive sous chef. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Todd’s culinary career spans more than 20 years. Todd began his professional career at The Cloister at Sea Island where he spent five years working with renowned chocolatiers. He then went to L’Auberge Provencal in northern Virginia before being named the assistant pastry chef at The Greenbrier in West Virginia. Todd later accepted the position of executive pastry chef for the Old Edwards Inn and Spa and then at The Omni Grove Park Inn, both in North Carolina. During his tenure at Belterra Park Gaming in Cincinnati, Ohio, he expanded his culinary skills and was promoted from executive pastry chef to executive sous chef. From there, he went to Canyon Ranch in Lenox, Massachusetts as executive chef.

EXECUTIVE PASTRY CHEF

Frederick brings a wealth of international experience to his role at The Omni Homestead Resort. Born in the Philippines, he was raised in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada where he completed his culinary degree at Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). He earned pastry certifications in France and has trained with numerous chefs around the world. He began his culinary career at the Edmonton Convention Center before moving to Chateau Lake Louise. Much of his career has been in Las Vegas where he worked as a pastry cook/baker at the Rio Hotel, Paris Las Vegas and Cosmopolitan. As his expertise grew, he moved into the role of pastry chef for the Hard Rock, Caesar’s Palace, Paris Las Vegas, Ritz-Carlton and Mandarin Oriental. Frederick has earned multiple gold medals in regional, national, and international competitions including the IKA Culinary Olympics in Germany and the World Culinary Championship in Scotland. Known as Chef Froggie to his Food Network competitors, he has won top honors on several shows including Cake Wars, Chopped, Christmas Cake Wars and Hayride of Horror.

CHEF DE CUISINE

As The Homestead’s chef de cuisine, Paul oversees the overall concept, vision and execution of Jefferson’s Restaurant and Taproom, Woody’s and Allegheny Springs Grill. He began his Homestead career as a cook in 2005 and has held numerous positions since then. Most recently, Paul served as the senior banquet sous chef and kitchen supervisor. Paul is a valuable asset to our culinary team, and we are honored to have him as a leader on our food and beverage team.

Kelly has always had a passion for baking. In 2012, she earned a degree in pastry arts from Cincinnati State Technical College and during her externship, she was offered a full time position decorating wedding cakes at A Spoon Fulla Sugar. After seven years, Kelly transitioned to the role of pastry cook at Belterra Park where she prepared desserts for banquets. Following her time at Belterra Park, Kelly accepted the position of supervisor for Godiva. However she missed the hands-on aspect and the creativity of pastry, so in early 2018, she joined the team at Blantyre Relais & Chateau in Lenox, Massachusetts as a pastry cook. In August 2019, Kelly brought her skills, knowledge and passion for pastry to her role as pastry cook 2 at The Omni Homestead. When she’s not preparing decadent desserts for resort guests, Kelly enjoys attending concerts, playing sand volleyball and hanging out with her dogs, Dexter and Herbie.

Leen Kim is the Executive Pastry Chef at The Omni Homestead Resort and a recent winner on Food Network's Chopped Sweets. At the resort, she works alongside a team of bakers to prepare, bake and embellish a multitude of pastries in the resort’s restaurants.

Before coming to The Omni Homestead, Kim was preparing for a career in business management and working as a personal banker in Los Angeles. When she realized that banking wasn’t her path, she decided to turn her focus towards desserts. She began baking cupcakes in the comfort of her own home and started testing recipes before landing an entry-level position at a local bakery. 

In April 2012, she served as a pastry cook and chocolatier at the SLS Hotel Beverly Hills. Always seeking new opportunities to expand her experience, Kim left the SLS Hotel to become a pastry chef assistant for Flores, a Los Angeles restaurant which she helped open. For two years, Kim was the Pastry Chef de Partie and Chocolatier for Bottega Louie in downtown LA. Kim was appointed Assistant Pastry Chef at the Jean Philippe Patisserie at Aria in Las Vegas in October 2015 where she managed daily production for the patisseries located at Aria and the Bellagio.

Additionally, Kim completed the Contemporary Entremets Petits Gateaux class with Chef Nathaniel Reid at L’École Valrhona in New York; the Spanish Pâtisserie class by Chef Oriol Balaguer at the French Pastry School in Chicago; and the Sugar Workshop and Chocolate Showpiece classes from M.O.F. (Meilleur Ouvrier de France, “Best Craftsman in France”) Stéphane Tréand in San Diego.
See her Battlefield Cross creation

ASSISTANT CHEF

Continuing his career as an Omni leader, Cary Burrescia has accepted the role of Chef de Cuisine at The Omni Homestead, helping to oversee operations in the Main Dining Room. This latest opportunity comes after two years of service at Omni La Mansión Del Rio in San Antonio as a Sous Chef and before that, three years at Omni Downtown Dallas as a supervisor for both the Banquet Kitchen and the Uptown Terrace. Prior, Burrescia spent two years at The Ashton Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas, and a year at L’Auberge Del Mar Resort and Spa in Del Mar, Calif., as a bartender. Burrescia launched his career as Food & Beverage Manager at Marriott Downtown Anchorage in Alaska.

Born and raised in Dickinson, Texas, Burrescia received his Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management at the University of Houston.