Meet The Chef
Joey Pearson
Having started cooking at age 14, Joey Pearson thrived on the heat, fast pace and unpredictable nature of the kitchen from a young age. As the son of a fire department captain and the grandson of a fire chief, both of whom handled chef duties for their respective departments, Joey has inherited an innate talent for management and a strong foundation for his skills in the culinary arts. Chef Pearson graduated Sigma Cum Laude from the Charlotte campus of Johnson and Wales in 2007 and joined the team at Soby’s in the same year. As the point person for the special beer dinners held at The Loft at Soby’s, he worked with microbreweries from across the South to showcase excellent flavor pairings. His interest in artisan beers was inspired by his brother, who came back from a trip to Europe with stories of diverse, intriguing beer producers. After a visit to R.J. Rockers Brewing Company in his hometown of Spartanburg, South Carolina, he began integrating finely crafted brews into his culinary repertoire and even started home brewing. Chef Pearson says that each beer has its place, and he takes seasonality and the individual flavor nuances of each brew into account when pairing beer with food. He works with his beverage director, bartenders and managers to establish synergy between the kitchen and dining room which assures an excellent gastropub experience. He is uniquely suited to head the kitchen at Nose Dive, where pub food is taken to a new level with international influences and fresh local ingredients.
