Joel Reynders is the Vice President of Culinary and Executive Chef for Bar Louie. Joel joined Bar Louie in May 2023 coming off the heels of an expansive career in the corporate restaurant space honing his chops for globally renowned concepts such as Ruby Tuesday, Red Lobster, Darden and most recently Tijuana Flats. His experience ranges from full-service to fast-casual to casual dining all ranging from 100-unit restaurants to over 600-unit brands. Prior to his time in the restaurant industry, Joel spent more than 10 years in the hospitality sector serving as the Head Chef for one of the highest earning hotel properties in the state of Florida. Joel is a Certified Culinarian, having completed an intense 3-year apprenticeship program sponsored by the American Culinary Federation. Joel is the recipient of multiple accolades including the Excellence in Hospitality Award by the Florida Restaurant Association and the Multiple Brilliance Award Winner by Darden. In his current role, Joel oversees the overall culinary strategy and product innovation for the brand creating cutting-edge menu offerings to surprise and delight guests while streamlining operational complexities for the back-of-house and operators alike.