Vanderbilt Dining's Culinary Team – Taking Care of Your Student

Vanderbilt Dining is much more than food service. They think of themselves as your student's "kitchen away from home." From the Director of Dining to the Catering Chef, dining has recruited amazing culinary talent.

Highlighting the Chefs

Camp Howard, Director, Tom Allen of Vanderbilt Catering and Gary Rawson of Rand Dining Center are all Certified Executive Chefs (the second highest achievement in the culinary arts). These CEC's are multi-award winning including "Chapter Chef of the Year," "National Regional Champion – Seafood Challenge," "Silver Medal – Collegiate Chefs Conference Culinary Competition" and many, many others.

Camp Howard, Tom Allen and Bill Claypool are all graduates of the CIA (Culinary Institute of American – highly decorated school of the culinary arts).

Chef Bill Claypool, Executive Chef and Assistant Director, has made a career as a chef including tenure at Loews Vanderbilt, Biltmore Hotel, Sunset Grille and Cheekwood. He is also a graduate of the CIA. When he isn't creating culinary delights at The Commons, he teaches cooking classes in Franklin, Tenn. at the Viking Culinary Center. Recently Chef Claypool participated in industry cooking competitions and won two bronze medals.

Chef Tom Allen, CEC is a graduate of the CIA. His background includes chef positions at: Vanderbilt Plaza Hotel, Belle Meade Country Club and Nero’s Grill. Chef Allen’s Awards include: National Regional Champion in the National Seafood Challenge, Chef of the Year - American Culinary Federation (Tennessee Chapter), Silver Medal in Team Competition for the American Culinary Federation

Chef Gary Rawson, CEC has spent over 40 years in the culinary arts including Executive Chef positions in elite hotels across the country. He was the Chef of the Year recipient in 2003 and the Chef Bill James Award winner in 2002 (long-time chef at Vanderbilt, Chef Bill James, was the inspiration of Chef James Bistro at Rand). Chef Rawson has made many television appearances including Talk of the Town and the Food Network.

Chef John Kelly, The Commons, has a degree in Culinary Arts from Johnson & Whales University. His love for cooking begain in high school and has not stopped. He has worked his way around kitchens in hotels across the country and then for a popular restaurant chain for 10 years.

Chef Kip Bennett, C.T. West, has 23 years experience in hotel, resort and full service restaurant dining. Prior to Vanderbilt, Chef Bennett owned The Crossroad BBQ restaurant in Nashville. He is fluent in multiple ethnic cuisines, but his love of barbeque keeps him at home in Carmichael Towers.

Camp Howard, CEC Director	Bill Claypool Executive Chef, Assistant Director

Gary Rawson, CEC	Kip Bennett	John Kelly

Dining's chefs are able to incorporate their fine dining culinary background into the college food service environment by using familiar ethnic driven cuisines that provide diverse flavor profiles. The university community has been an excellent platform for them to experiment with different cuisines.

Have dinner with our chefs October 12, 19, 26 and November 2.