New Culinary Leadership at Nashville's Only Forbes Travel Guide Star Restaurant Yolan, the Italian restaurant at The Joseph luxury hotel in Nashville's SoBro district, has named Liam Byres as Chef de Cuisine following his arrival this summer. Byres, recognized as a StarChefs Rising Star Chef, leads the kitchen at Nashville's only Forbes Travel Guide Star Award restaurant, collaborating with Pastry Chef Janrich Amaro and Wine Manager Nicole Lee to oversee the restaurant's culinary, pastry, and wine programs.
Background and Philosophy Byres returns to Nashville after leading acclaimed kitchens in Seattle.
Raised in Dallas in a restaurant family, he is the son of chef and restaurateur Tim Byres. His career spans Oklahoma City, Dallas, Nashville, and Seattle, including roles at Nonesuch; Flora Street Cafe and Fauna under James Beard Award winner Stephan Pyles; Homewood under Dallas chef Matt McCallister; Cry Wolf as Head Chef; the live-fire tasting menu concept Firebrand in Nashville; and Spanish tapas restaurant Lola, where he served as Culinary Director and Executive Chef. Most recently, he was Executive Chef of Seattle restaurants Eldr and Raccolto. "Yolan has earned its reputation by honoring Italian cuisine with an extraordinary level of care, precision, and respect for tradition," Byres said. "I am excited to be building on that foundation with food that feels vibrant, seasonal, and deeply considered. For me, great cooking begins with respect for the ingredients, the people who produce them, and the team that brings each dish to life." Byres pairs classic Italian techniques with seasonal produce sourced from farms throughout Tennessee and Kentucky, complemented by specialty ingredients from Italy. Mentorship is central to his leadership approach, fostering a collaborative culture grounded in curiosity, consistency, and craftsmanship.
Pastry and Wine Programs Janrich Amaro, who joined Yolan's pastry team in 2025, brings a disciplined, technique-driven approach to Italian pastry. At 21, he previously served as Pastry Chef at Grand Hyatt Nashville, overseeing a seven-person team. At Yolan, Amaro applies a contemporary perspective to classic Italian desserts with emphasis on balance, clarity, and artful presentation. Nicole Lee, a Certified Sommelier and WSET Level 2 professional, leads Yolan's wine program of more than 430 selections. Lee began her career as a bartender before developing expertise at Omni Nashville Hotel and The Palm, and spent six years at Kayne Prime as both Service Captain and sommelier team member. Her tenure has expanded the program's strengths in Piemonte, Brunello di Montalcino, and Burgundy. Yolan's glass-enclosed, temperature-controlled wine cellar showcases a portion of the restaurant's approximately 1,200-bottle inventory. With support from Verlord Laguatan, Chef and Beverage Director of The Joseph, the three leaders oversee Yolan's continued culinary evolution and maintain its Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence designation.
Why It Matters
The appointments signal Yolan's commitment to sustained excellence in fine dining at a time when luxury restaurants are increasingly emphasizing local sourcing and collaborative leadership models. The trio's collective experience in high-volume kitchens, sommelier training, and contemporary pastry technique positions the restaurant to compete within Nashville's growing upscale dining market.
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Written by FBM Publications Editors
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Liam Byres qualified to lead Yolan's kitchen?
Byres earned a StarChefs Rising Star Chef designation and spent his career in high-profile kitchens under James Beard Award winner Stephan Pyles at Flora Street Cafe and Fauna in Dallas, plus executive chef roles at Seattle's Eldr and Raccolto. He's the son of restaurateur Tim Byres and has worked across five cities building expertise in fine dining and live-fire cooking.
What's significant about Yolan's Forbes Travel Guide status?
Yolan is Nashville's only Forbes Travel Guide Star Award restaurant, which puts it in the top tier nationally—fewer than 200 restaurants across the U.S. hold this distinction. That's the benchmark Byres is now responsible for maintaining.
How does Byres source his ingredients?
He sources seasonal produce from farms throughout Tennessee and Kentucky while importing specialty ingredients from Italy to support classic Italian techniques. This dual-sourcing strategy balances terroir with culinary authenticity—local seasonality paired with Italian tradition.
Who else is on Yolan's culinary leadership team?
Pastry Chef Janrich Amaro oversees the pastry program and Wine Manager Nicole Lee directs the wine program. Byres collaborates with both to run the entire culinary, pastry, and wine operation.
What was Byres doing before Nashville?
He served as Executive Chef at two Seattle restaurants—Eldr and Raccolto—after previous roles including Head Chef at Cry Wolf and Culinary Director/Executive Chef at Lola, a Spanish tapas restaurant. He returned to Nashville this summer to take the Yolan position.
