i. Biography
Sam Jett cooks Appalachian cuisine at Audrey in Nashville, and the work is grounded in Tennessee rather than merely referenced from a distance. He has said he has "lived in or explored every corner of this state," and that breadth shows up in the food as practical familiarity: the menu reflects someone who has moved through the region, taken note of its variations, and brought that knowledge back to the pass.
The Path
At Audrey, the Executive Chef role places Sam Jett in charge of the kitchen’s direction and the way its food is expressed. The position is straightforward; the responsibility is not. It means defining the restaurant’s voice, keeping the line aligned, and carrying a regional cooking tradition into a fine-dining setting without stripping away what gives it shape. His Tennessee reference point is built from direct experience. When Sam Jett says he has "lived in or explored every corner of this state," the line points to more than familiarity with a map. It signals exposure to different parts of the state’s geography and culture, and that range becomes part of how his cooking is understood: less as borrowed regionalism than as a point of view formed in place.
The Work Today
Appalachian cuisine is the defining frame at Audrey, and under Sam Jett that frame stays clear. The cooking reads as regional by design, with attention to place and identity rather than decorative effect. The connection to Tennessee is not an abstraction; it is the organizing fact behind the menu. That makes the work legible on two levels. It is specific to Audrey in Nashville, and it is broader in the way it reflects the state Sam Jett knows well. The restaurant’s identity, the cuisine, and the chef’s own experience line up without needing embellishment.
Acclaim
The main marker here is the role itself. As Executive Chef at Audrey, Sam Jett leads a kitchen whose identity is tied to Appalachian cuisine and to Tennessee. The alignment is the point: title, place, and cuisine all sit in the same register, with familiarity doing the work of authority.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Sam
What is Sam Jett's current role?
As of 2026, Sam Jett is Executive Chef.
What is Sam Jett known for?
Appalachian cuisine.
Where did Sam Jett train?
Sam Jett trained at Johnson & Wales University – Charlotte, Culinary Arts program.
