PASTRY DIRECTOR

KEATON VASEK

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As Pastry Chef at The Continental, Keaton Vasek prides himself in pairing memories with desserts. Born and raised in Clarksville, Tennessee, Vasek started his career in the hospitality industry after a trip to Spain, falling in love with the food and European culture. While abroad, he had the opportunity to dine at various Michelin-starred restaurants, where chefs stood with admirable posture and dressed in perfectly pressed whites—a structure that he felt comfortable with coming from a military family. In this moment, he knew the hospitality industry was his future.

In 2015, Vasek graduated from The Culinary Institute of America Hyde Park in New York and joined the pastry team at Gotham Bar & Grill in the West Village, followed by a stint at Pearl & Ash in Manhattan. In 2016, Vasek landed the opportunity to open Italienne in New York as a Pastry Chef de Partie. He not only helped create the restaurant’s bread and Viennoiserie programs, but he also assisted with menu development for the restaurant’s beloved tasting menus. Vasek was named a Lead Pastry Cook at Eleven Madison Park in 2018, where he worked on every aspect of the pastry program before joining the team at The NoMad Hotel in 2018, where he was the restaurant’s Head Pastry Sous Chef. He managed a large pastry department, ensuring exceptional food quality and service. The NoMad was a diverse pastry program from bread, viennoiserie, chocolate, cheese, cakes, plated desserts, and much more.

Craving a change, Vasek made the move to Nashville to work with James Beard Award-winning chef, Sean Brock, in 2020. Vasek’s time at The NoMad Hotel paved the way for his new role at The Continental and he looks forward to bringing his extensive experiences in service, leadership, and food nostalgia to this exciting new concept