Chef Chris Ross began his culinary career at the age of 18 as a server at Bellefonte Country Club in Ashland, Kentucky. He began volunteering in the kitchen both before and after his shifts, peeling potatoes and doing other prep work in order to absorb as much as he could about the kitchen operations. He then decided to go to Sullivan University in Louisville to obtain his culinary degree. In October of 2000, after graduating from Sullivan with a Culinary Arts Associate of Science Degree, Chris returned to Bellefonte Country Club as Sous Chef and was promoted to Executive Chef in September 2005.
In late 2012 Chris left the country club scene for the public sector to serve as the Executive Chef and the creative force behind Bristol Catering, and to run the kitchen at the original Highlands location of the Bristol Bar & Grille. Here his Hot Brown Soup garnered national attention in Food Network Magazine. With many successes gave way to new opportunities, Chris left the Bristol to open the Dundee Gastropub in 2014.
At the restaurant he served upscale Southern food in a sports bar setting, while garnering a 3 star review from the Courier Journal. Having a love for catering, Chris part-ed ways with the restaurant to join Levy Restaurants in late 2015.
During his time with Levy Restaurants, Chris has graduated the Top Gun leadership program, worked the Kentucky Derby, the Grammys, Kentucky State Fair, the MLS World Soccer Championship, Big Ten Championship, Big 12 Championship, Land Rover 3 Day Event, the National Horse Show, assisted in Canada as the Bell Center opened new restaurants, as well as many other sports and entertainment related catering events. Ross is currently the Senior Executive Chef of the Central Bank Center, Rupp Arena, and the Lexington Opera House as well as overseeing the food operations at the Kentucky International Convention Center and the Kentucky Exposition Center. He is a professional-minded, leadership driven, innovative chef and his pas-sion for Southern food and French culinary technique allows him to offer a wide variety of catering menus for special events. He won the International Fresh Produce Association Business in Industry Award 2022. Chris has been named a Kentucky Colonel and was recently awarded the Spirit of Lexington Award. He has been featured on Great Day Live, Secrets of Louisville Chefs, Secrets of Bluegrass Chefs, Every Day Kentucky and CNN.com. Chris currently lives in Georgetown with his amazing wife, Great Dane, and French Bulldog.