Nate Parnell

Hyatt at Olive 8 and Grand Hyatt Seattle arepleased to announce the appointment of Nate Parnell as the Chef de Cuisine of Urbane restaurant. Parnell initially joined the two downtown Seattle properties as the Banquet Chef, after spending time as the Garde Manager Sous Chef at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans and as the Chef de Cuisine of Stories Fine Dining for Hyatt Regency Lost Pines.  

Parnell started developing his culinary talents at the early age of seventeen, washing dishes and waiting tables in the local restaurants of Austin, Texas. From there, his passion for food and cooking grew. While cooking for his first customers, his large family, Parnell drew inspiration from menus served up by his Lebanese neighbor and the “big flavors” of Texas, like BBQ, Tex-Mex, Southern comfort food and a touch of Cajun. Parnell’s father and grandfather also impacted his culinary journey by teaching him about wild vegetables, fishing and the game meat from their hunting adventures. He trained at the Texas Culinary Academy in Austin, Texas, an independently run Le Cordon Bleu school, specializing in French and Italian techniques. He’s since gained experience at every level of the culinary industry.

In his role, Parnell will oversee the expansion of new menu items and the continuous development of the Urbane team. Parnell is also refreshing the restaurant’s menu to include both sharable plates and smaller dishes, bringing a refreshed philosophy and approach to commonplace food, dishes, and concepts. He seeks to unravel dishes in an innovative way that highlights the freshest of flavors, producing a new understanding of food in every bite.

“In my line of work there is always more to learn. A new way of doing things. New foods and products to be discovered,” says Parnell. “It’s that pursuit of perfection where I channel my creativity. It’s finding that balance of current trends that our guests want and food that our guests don’t know they want yet.”

When not in the kitchen, the Texas native enjoys camping and fishing with his wife and young daughter, who find the Pacific Northwest the perfect location for both activities.