About Us 

   KEVIN RATHBUN - CLIFF BRAMBLE - KIRK PARKS

KEVIN RATHBUN: (AWARDS) Even at a young age, Kevin Rathbun was no stranger to the restaurant business.  He grew up in a food-driven environment learning from his mother and grandmother how to bring fresh goods from the garden to the table.  From picking his own tomatoes and squash for the meal that evening, to going to the local dairy farm drinking the fresh squeezed milk from the cow, he quickly learned to appreciate the essence of food and family.  His father, being a jazz musician in the Jazz Belt in Kansas City, often cooked great BBQ for his musician friends together and later had jam sessions in the basement.  Such experiences have led Kevin to appreciate and share his passion for the hospitality industry 

Kevin entered the restaurant scene working as a young apprentice at age 14.  Shortly after, he received the calling from renowned chef, Bradley Ogden, of The American Restaurant in Kansas City. At the age of 17, Kevin’s ambition and drive was noticed and he was quickly promoted to a Sous Chef.  Developing his talents for the next three years, he was then offered another Sous Chef position at the renowned Brennan’s of Houston, Texas. There, Kevin continued to hone his skills and was then noticed and chosen by Executive Chef, Emeril Legasse, to relocate to Commanders Palace in New Orleans and work under him. Kevin kept pushing for that taste of perfection. He watched, duplicated and created new and exciting dishes that energized not only the guests, but critics alike.

He was then invited to become Chef at the noted Baby Routh in Dallas with Chef Stephen Pyles.  His drive and passion continued to push for the next level and he was soon the Executive Chef of NAVA in Atlanta where he brought Southwestern cuisine to the city. NAVA became an instant hit and was noticed both local and nationally and since 1995 has been continuously voted one of the top five restaurants in the city.

Then in 1999, Kevin introduced Atlanta to Asian fusion as the opening chef for Bluepointe.  Bluepointe has received local and national recognition in Esquire Magazine as a “top new restaurant” as well as being voted one of the top five restaurants in the city.

From 1999-2003, Chef Kevin was the Corporate Executive Chef for the Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, and oversaw many of the restaurants.  He updated and reviewed the menus at Chops, Atlanta Fish Market and the Buckhead Diner. Eventually, he landed at the Buckhead Diner to overhaul the menu and bring life back into this fifteen-year old restaurant.  The Buckhead Diner has received local and national praise for its menu and service.

In May of 2004,  Kevin opened his own signature restaurant, Rathbun’s, in Atlanta. Opening in Inman Park at The Stove Works, Chef Kevin is  involved in another exciting stylish restaurant, creating “Seasonally and Globally Driven Food”. Kevin says, “I love this city and Inman Park provides everything I was looking for in developing a new restaurant.  A hip, re-generated area with a tremendous growth potential.  I have been watching Inman Park for years and I love the atmosphere of the small neighborhood, yet still close enough to everybody in the city.”

Kevin resides in Atlanta with his wife, Melissa.  In his spare time, he enjoys cigars, golfing and fishing.

KIRK PARKS: Born, raised and educated in a small farming community in the Midwest, Kirk worked at the local steel mill until he acted on his love for the culinary field by taking a job at a local restaurant.  In the mid eighties, Kirk moved to Houston, Texas and began working at the Brennan’s of Houston Restaurant.  From there, Chef Parks moved on and became the Pastry chef of Baby Routh in Dallas, Texas under Chef Stephan Pyles.  During this time, Chef parks contributed to Pyles’ first cookbook “The New Texas Cuisine”.

 In 1993, Chef Parks became the Executive Pastry Chef at Jumby Bay Island Resort, an exclusive resort in the British West Indies, until 1995 when Executive Chef Kevin Rathbun lured him away to work at NAVA in Atlanta. For the past nine years, Pastry Chef Kirk Parks has continued to create incredible desserts for NAVA. NAVA is owned by the prestigious Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, which includes: Bluepointe, Pano and Paul’s, 103 West, Buckhead Diner, Chops, Pricci, Veni Vidi Vici, Atlanta Fish Market, Kyma, Bluepoint, Buckhead Bread Company and Corner Café.While at NAVA, Chef Parks completed his degree in the culinary arts program with honors from the Art Institute of Atlanta.

Chef Parks has garnered many awards, including in 1993, The James Beard Foundation, Baker of the Year of the Southwest.  Chef Parks has been published in Southern Living Magazine, Food and Wine, Bon Appetite, Gourmet, Atlanta Magazine, as well as appearances on many local TV stations.  Chef Parks has won awards and honors for such acclaimed desserts as his B&B Cube, Banana Quesadilla, Apple Pinon Enchilada and the Chocolate Pecan Pie.  He teaches cooking classes at local cooking schools such as Cooks Warehouse and The Kroger Cooking School and has consulted on various area restaurant dessert menus.  Chef Parks is in the process of writing a pastry cookbook that will demonstrate the ease of preparing restaurant desserts at home. Kirk resides in Marietta, Georgia with his wonderful wife, Freida and step-daughter, Kimberly.

Cliff Bramble is the General Manager and Partner of Rathbun's & Krog Bar.  A native of Coventry, Rhode Island, he is a 26 year veteran to the hospitality industry.  Cliff brings along a drive and passion for the restaurant and business side of the operation.

From 1985 to 1991, Cliff worked for the Marriott Corporation.  In 1985, he opened the La Jolla Marriott then went on to open the Mobil four-star Desert Springs Marriott in Palm Desert, California.  He was then sent to the San Diego Marriott & Marina and was the General Manager of a high-volume seafood restaurant until returning back to Palm Springs to work at the Marriott’s Rancho Las Palmas Resort.  From 1991 to 1995, Cliff operated his own café until he was asked to join in the opening team of NAVA (Buckhead Life Restaurant Group) in Atlanta. Ulitmately, Cliff became the General Manager of NAVA and then the Operations Director for Buckhead Bread Company and Corner Café. (Buckhead Life Restaurant Group). In 2000, Cliff moved on to become the General Manager of Canoe and then of Rainwater Restaurant in Alpharetta, Georgia. 

Originally from Rhode Island, where he attended Johnson & Wales University,  Cliff resides in Norcross with his wife Kyra and their daughter, Stevie. He has recently completed his first book on the restaurant business, “Your Guide to a Restaurant Business Plan” and is in the process of completing his second book, "Marketing your Independent Restaurant."  In his spare time, he enjoys cooking, computers, financial and business planning.

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