Chef
Cory Harwell
- Discipline
- Chef
- Based in
- Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
i. Biography
Co-founder of Carson Kitchen in Las Vegas, United States, is the title that defines Cory Harwell’s public work. From Downtown Las Vegas, the restaurant centers on Creative American cuisine, thoughtfully crafted cocktails, and comfort food made with ingredients more often associated with fine dining. The achievement carries extra weight because Harwell’s start was direct and unvarnished: born in Woodstock, Georgia, he began his restaurant career at age 16 as a dishwasher at a Southern mom-and-pop diner.
The Honours
Harwell is chef and CEO of Eleven Hospitality Group, co-founder of Carson Kitchen, and owner of Butcher & Thief in Las Vegas, United States. His career history also includes partner at the Downtown restaurant, a role tied to the place that made his name in the city’s dining conversation. The clearest recognition is not a medal or credential; it is authorship. Harwell’s work is attached to a restaurant known in Las Vegas for a butter burger with boursin cheddar, smoked trout rillette, crispy chicken skins with bacon jam and brie, and Killer Shrimp, a dish he brought over after it had previously been called Crispy Shrimp.
The Craft
At Carson Kitchen in Downtown Las Vegas, the specialty is Creative American cuisine and thoughtfully crafted cocktails. The cooking reimagines comfort food through approachable fine-dining ingredients, giving familiar dishes a sharper edge without making them feel remote. That comfort-food thread reaches back to Woodstock, Georgia. In Alpharetta, United States, Carson Kitchen serves Southern comfort foods inspired by dishes Harwell’s grandmother made while he was growing up there, connecting family memory to a restaurant format built for a wider audience. Butcher & Thief carries another expression of the same discipline. Harwell’s team uses sous vide precision for steaks, organizes the wine list by flavor profile, and blends craftsmanship, comfort, and character through high-quality steaks, playful takes on classic dishes, and curated wine and cocktail programming. The philosophy is direct: balance indulgence with approachability and make fine dining feel at home in the neighborhood. Across his restaurants, that means a guest can meet careful technique without losing the ease of a night out.
The Career
The path begins in Woodstock, not at the top of a kitchen brigade. A 16-year-old dishwasher at a Southern mom-and-pop diner learned restaurant work from the back of the house, then moved toward the kind of cooking that treats comfort as a serious culinary language. Las Vegas became the city most closely tied to that work. As co-founder and partner of Carson Kitchen, Harwell helped shape a Downtown restaurant identified with Creative American plates, snacks with personality, and cocktails treated as part of the meal rather than an afterthought. His role now extends beyond one dining room. As chef and CEO of Eleven Hospitality Group and owner of Butcher & Thief, he works across restaurant concepts while keeping the through-line visible: indulgence, clarity, and food that can carry craft without losing warmth.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Cory
What is Cory Harwell's most notable recognition?
Cory Harwell’s most notable recognition is as co-founder of Carson Kitchen in Las Vegas, United States.
What is Cory Harwell known for?
He is known for Creative American cuisine, thoughtfully crafted cocktails, reimagined comfort food, and signatures including the butter burger with boursin cheddar, smoked trout rillette, crispy chicken skins with bacon jam and brie, and Killer Shrimp.
What is Cory Harwell's current role?
He is chef and CEO of Eleven Hospitality Group, co-founder of Carson Kitchen, and owner of Butcher & Thief in Las Vegas, United States.
