Aaron Cox, Chef de Cuisine at Coast, Oceanfront Dining, attributes his five-star cooking expertise to his robust career experience working at a variety of elite venues, where he developed unique menus with his signature approach to light-yet-bold, natural flavors by using only the freshest local and sustainable ingredients. As an apprentice, Chef Aaron trained from 1987 to 1989 under Certified Master Chef Hartmut Handke while attending The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W.V.

Among his résumé highlights: Grand Teton Lodge Company in Wyoming; Harborview Hilton in Charleston S.C.; Amelia Island Plantation in Florida; ClubCorp-owned University Center Club at Florida State University, where he served as Executive Chef and Adjunct Professor of hospitality; Michael Jordan's Steakhouse at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, N.C.; and Westin Charlotte Hotel's JP Charlotte, where he also served as Executive Chef.

Chef Bryan Lee is a native of Sacramento, California and now serves as a sous chef at Coast Oceanfront Dining at The Sea Pines Beach Club. Lee has lived in Japan leading up to his culinary career by attending the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago. Upon graduating he worked at multiple restaurants in the Chicago area as well as Spot Gastropub in Los Angeles and The English Grille inside the Brown Hotel in Louisville, KY. Lee’s culinary heroes are both of his grandmothers, Emma Fountaine and Jewel Lee, who inspired his career. When he’s not in the kitchen, chef enjoys quality time with his family, golfing, fishing, and traveling.

Before beginning his storied culinary career, executive pastry chef Iain Jones started out washing dishes in a restaurant while seeking jobs in the engineering field. Instead, he found himself drawn to the art and science of making bread. His curiosity and talent led to a distinguished culinary career, serving as assistant pastry chef at The Inn on Biltmore, then pastry chef at Horizon’s inside The Grove Park Inn, Isa’s Bistro in Asheville and at the famed five-star, five-diamond The Inn at Little Washington.  There, under culinary pioneer Patrick O’Connell, Jones elevated the pastry program at a restaurant that would become one of only 14 nationwide to earn a third Michelin star. 

Annette Joseph is a stylist, author, and entertaining expert whose work has appeared in Better Homes & Gardens, Southern Living, and Martha Stewart Living. She hosts immersive food and photography workshops at La Fortezza, her home and creative retreat in Tuscany.

Chef Duane Nutter’s journey from Morgan City, Louisiana, to the pinnacle of culinary excellence is a testament to his creativity, dedication, and passion for food. Born and raised in Louisiana, Nutter grew up steeped in the rich traditions of Creole and Southern cuisine, which continue to inspire his cooking today.

Beyond his work in the kitchen, Chef Duane Nutter has expanded his creative reach as an author. His cookbook, Cutting Up in the Kitchen: Food and Fun from Southern National’s Chef Duane Nutter, reflects his signature style—combining sophisticated yet approachable recipes with humor and wit.