Meet the Team

Executive Chef/Sommelier Nathan Davis

Chef Nathan Davis grew up in the small town of Bucksnort, TN. It was there that he rubbed shoulders with his grandmother not only in the kitchen, but in the garden as well. Learning the importance of attention to detail and maximizing every ingredient, he understood that this was a place where food was a way of life. He grew up in an area of Tennessee where the produce has several seasons and various uses, from lettuces for a fresh salad to canning tomatoes for sauce during the winter months. After mastering the family recipes and skills passed down from generation to generation, Nathan learned that creating a beautiful meal was always more meaningful when shared with family and dear friends. With this philosophy and passion instilled in his soul, it was no surprise that he quickly rose through the ranks in his restaurant career. At 24, his hard work and determination paid off as he landed the sous chef position for the Thompson Hotel in Nashville run by the Besh Restaurant Group. After leaving Nashville and moving to the Emerald Coast, Nathan worked under famed chef Emeril Lagasse. This experience allowed him the opportunity to continue his work as Chef de Cuisine for the Stinky’s Restaurant Group and award-winning Cuvee Kitchen + Wine Bar. Sharing his love of food and family, Chef Nathan designed the Polished Chef to help others create moments that will last a lifetime from small gatherings, retreats, weddings, holidays, and so much more. To this day, Chef has featured in many WJHG Panama City News “Foodie Friday” segments and over 500 commercials a year including FOX, ESPN, and more. He was awarded the Best Chef in Destin in the 2023 “Best In Destin” Awards by VIP Destin Magazine. Today he resides in Freeport, FL with his family and their two Labradors, Oyster and Pearl.

Chief Operating Officer Melissa Miguel

Melissa Miguel was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. Being from such a diverse city, she's always been a social butterfly and loves connecting with new people. In 2019, she earned her BA in Communication Studies at San Francisco State University. During her time in college, she found that she was a natural at sales and now has 10 years of sales experience as well as a background in real estate. Melissa was previously a video game streamer on Twitch, where she interacted with viewers, met people around the world, and fell in love with all things graphic design. She has the ability to adapt in new places quickly, and temporarily relocated to Georgia. Melissa has the ability to make people feel comfortable the moment they speak to her, she is there every step of the way to help our clients plan the perfect dining experience from start to finish. She comes from a large family and understands that spending times with loved ones make the best memories. Melissa can help you plan any type of event large or small such as weddings, holidays, and more to enjoy with friends and family. During her free time, she enjoys going to the gym, cooking, and spending time with her family and Siamese cat.  Today, she specializes in assisting Chef Nathan grow the Polished Chef, bonding with clients, designing the newest menus, and other operation duties for the company.

Chef Hayden McIntosh

With his father as a restauranteur in 30A, Chef Hayden comes by his love of great food and flawless presentation naturally. He has a passion for hospitality that is rare in today’s world, in part from working directly under Chef Nathan since early 2022. He has quickly learned and mastered your favorite dishes from the Polished Chef menu created by Chef Nathan.

Chef Hayden shares the same level and respect for the craft and attention to detail that Chef Nathan says he has never seen before in someone so young. Chef Hayden offers the same level of fine dining that you have come to expect from the Polished Chef, right here on the beautiful beaches of 30A. He graduated from Seacoast Collegiate High School in 2023, and is currently attending Ole Miss. Chef Hayden still visits back home in 30A, and when he does, he’s happy to cook for familiar faces of the Polished Chef clientele. He is passionate about giving our customers an experience they’ll never forget, from the service to cooking and everything in between. After being on the Polished Chef team for over a year, Chef Hayden has proved himself as one of the most capable young chefs that Chef Nathan has seen, and our customers absolutely adore him! Aside from the love of his Jeep, he cares deeply for his family and is a great role model to his younger two siblings.

Chef Robert Alexander

Chef Robert Alexander joined the Polished Chef team in 2023. Before the Polished Chef, he was the Chef de Cuisine at Fonville Press. Hailing from Richmond, VA, Robert brings a robust background of culinary experience to the Polished Chef. He knew he wanted to cook for the rest of his life at 10 years-old. As a child, he would spend time with his grandfather, known as "Papa.” He would help his Papa cook for their large family gatherings on Sundays and learn kitchen skills from him, such as how to sharpen his first knife on a river stone. He decided to pursue his culinary career full time and enrolled at Johnson & Wales University. Following graduation from culinary school, Robert pursued and captured an internship at Walt Disney World and later joining the team for Jean-Georges restaurant at Philadelphia's Four Seasons hotel. He then moved to New York to work at another location of Jean-Georges in Bridgehampton, before trading his views of the Northeast for the mountains of Asheville, NC. In 2022, he became the Executive Chef at Benne on Eagle and The Foundry Hotel. Following that year, he won 1st place on the hit reality-based cooking competition series, Food Network’s Chopped "Halloween Spooktacular" episode on Season 56. Still looking for a change, Robert relocated to the Gulf Shores of 30A and trained under Chef Nathan, quickly learning our recipes and techniques. He enjoys being a Polished Chef, working for different clients at each job, cooking a variety of our menus, having the ability to work in a fast-paced environment, and be adaptable. This keeps him on his toes and brings the exciting challenges that he seeks. Through interactions with our clients and with Chef Nathan’s training, Robert finds enjoyment and reward in building community and camaraderie at the Polished Chef. When he’s not working, he likes spending time at the beach, playing with his dog, and finding moments of zen.

Chef Owen Thomas Cunningham

Chef Owen Cunningham was born in Vermont and moved to the Destin, Florida area when he was 4 years-old. He grew up surrounded by cooking and the restaurant business, since his father has been an executive chef for years, he learned his cooking skills from his father. Owen has been in the restaurant business for about 5 years. He graduated from Seacoast Collegiate High School in 2023 and currently attends FAU. His favorite hobbies outside of cooking are lacrosse and golf. Owen is a quick learner and has worked closely with Chef Nathan during our private dinners to learn our signature recipes. He now specializes in our delicious Southern backyard seafood boils and other private dinner services to share his passion for cooking with our clients.

Chef Assistant Conall Wilson

Conall Wilson recently graduated from Seacoast Collegiate High School in 2023. He was born in North Carolina, moved to Ireland when he was five years-old, and then moved back to the states about four years ago. He has lived in Santa Rosa Beach where his father has his own restaurant with his twin brother, Conall worked with them in the restaurant business from a young age. There, he learned most of his customer service and restaurant/food industry skills. He has experience in a few other restaurant businesses and is also a lifeguard on the side. During his free time, Conall enjoys listening to music, traveling, playing football and lacrosse. He is currently a freshman at the University of Tampa. When he’s back in 30A from classes, he assists our Chef team in private dinners and events, providing spectacular customer service, and learning Chef Nathan’s new recipes.

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