Local chef makes 'Best Chefs America' 2013 guide

CLEVELAND - A local chef has been selected for this year’s Best Chefs America-a reference guide that showcases the best chefs in the United States.

Brett Montgomery, Executive Chef of Renaissance Cleveland Hotel was selected by his peers in what is known as “the ultimate reference guide to chefs.”

Montgomery was chosen after more than 50,000 phone calls and over 5,000 chef-interviews were conducted to determine who would be included in the 2013 edition of Best Chefs America.

“I’d always helped my mother in the kitchen when she made traditional English meat and potatoes or sausage from scratch and I started taking culinary classes,” Montgomery said in a press release.

During Montgomery’s sophomore year in high school, he made the choice between two majors: architecture or culinary.

“My dad said ‘Everyone needs to eat. Not everyone needs a house.’ That did it. It was culinary from that point forward,” he said.

Montgomery went on to earn a degree in Culinary Arts from Paul Smith’s College.  He began his career with Marriott Hotels as a line cook at Renaissance Vinoy Resort in St. Petersburg, Florida.

After a promotion to Garde Manger, he later relocated to Renaissance Greenway Hotel in Houston, Texas working as Banquet Chef, then Sous Chef and finally as Executive Chef.

Montgomery joined the staff of Renaissance Cleveland Hotel as Executive Chef in April 2010 to oversee the banquet department, room service, VIP Club Lounge and Sans Souci, the hotel’s restaurant.

The 2013 edition of Best Chefs America will be available online and in bookstores in March.