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A native of the Philippines who graduated cum laude with a degree in Hotel & Restaurant Administration from the University of the Philippines, Mary Grace Viado is Corporate Executive Chef for the eight Village Taverns across the United States. Viado earned a prestigious James Beard Foundation scholarship to the Culinary Institute of America. Starting her culinary career at Masa’s Restaurant in San Francisco, Viado went on to work at several prestigious hotels including the Savoy Hotel in San Jose and the Four Seasons in both New York City and Atlanta. Viado also polished her culinary reputation by cooking at several top New York restaurants, including Restaurant Daniel, Aquavit, Le Cirque 2000, Aureole, Payard Patisserie and Bistro, Café des Artistes, and Le Bernadin. In fact, Brooke Vosika, executive chef of New York’s Four Seasons Hotel, calls Viado “the consummate 21st century culinarian.”
Chef Viado came to Village Tavern in 2002 to serve as executive chef for the Village Tavern in Birmingham, AL. At the Village Tavern in Birmingham, Viado’s innovative recipes and feature dishes have been the subjects of numerous articles in popular food magazines, while her creative cooking has also earned her a Governor’s award in Alabama as well as her own television cooking segment “Cooking with Grace” at Living Birmingham, a home and lifestyle television show. She is currently working on a DVD cookbook that will cater to cooking enthusiasts.
View Chefs' Secrets Recipe & Techniques: Mary Grace Viado's Braised Short Ribs