Restaurants

Chefs

Joe Gurner

Executive Chef, Restaurant Associates at the Kennedy Center

Growing up just outside of Pittsburgh, PA, Joe Gurner always had a passion for food. As a young man, he would rush home from school so he could prepare meals for his family and friends. Trying to be practical, Joe attended college and obtained a business degree, but longed to work in the kitchen. Drawn by his calling to be a chef, he enrolled in the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute, where he got his first taste of what it takes to become a chef and enjoyed every minute of it.

As part of his culinary schooling, Joe completed an externship at the Marco Island, Florida Marriott Spa and Resort. Following his graduation, he returned to the Marco Island Marriott and took a full-time position as a chef for the resort's five restaurants. After several years in Florida, Joe decided it was time for a change and moved to the west coast to San Francisco where he served as the catering chef for the famed War Memorial Opera House. Here he prepared menus for events ranging from small weddings to huge corporate galas He also catered events at some of Napa Valley's finest vineyards.

Eventually, Joe decided it was time to return to his roots back east and move closer to his family. Due to his stellar background in handling high-profile events, Restaurant Associates looked to Joe to oversee the kitchen of the National Museum of American History, and later serve as opening chef for renowned properties, including the National Museum of the American Indian, The Music Center at Strathmore, and the Museum of Science in Boston.

In recognition of his excellent work, Joe was brought on as catering chef at the Kennedy Center in 2007, where he proved to be a natural leader in the kitchen and was quickly promoted to top toque. Now, Joe oversees all food operations, from the elegant Roof Terrace Restaurant and casual KC Café to prestigious black tie galas, such as Kennedy Center Honors. As executive chef, his mission is to focus on maintaining high-quality cuisine and showcasing fresh, simply prepared seasonal foods for all the Kennedy Center's dining destinations.

When Joe isn't working long hours in the kitchen, he enjoys watching the Steelers play football or you might catch him at one of the many sporting events around DC.

Vatche Benguian

Chef de Cuisine, Roof Terrace Restaurant

Chef de Cuisine Vatche Benguian brings a wealth of experience to the kitchen at the Roof Terrace Restaurant at the Kennedy Center. He honed his craft from great master chefs such as Robert F. Greault and Michelin star chefs Gerard Pangaud and the late Jean Louis Palladin. With more than 30 years as a chef in some of Washington, DC's finest restaurants, he has developed a well-respected reputation and a loyal fan base.

In high school, Benguian was planning to study business and play on the Michigan State football team, when a leg injury suddenly halted his athletic career, and began his culinary dreams. Since he was no longer able to play on the field, he decided to occupy his time in the kitchen. Benguian started working at a local restaurant as a prep assistant, where he developed a love affair with food. At the young age of 16, Benguian decided that the chef's life was calling him. He enrolled in a local high school's food program, and learned basic skills and recipes that he would take home to cook dinner for his family.

After graduating high school, he entered into the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, New York. During his schooling, he completed an Associate Fellowship Program at the Institute's Escoffier Restaurant, where he was an assistant to the executive chef and learned the fundamentals of life in a restaurant kitchen. When Benguian graduated from the CIA, he worked for a short time at Le Cote Basque in New York City and later had the privilege of working under culinary great Jean Louis Palladin at his Napa Restaurant in Las Vegas.

For the past 30 years, Benguian has worked in the kitchens of some of Washington, DC's finest establishments, such as Gerard's Place, Le Bagatelle, was a chef/partner at La Colline Restaurant, and, most recently, he assisted his good friend Brian McBride, the Executive Chef at Park Hyatt D.C., in the opening of The Blue Duck Tavern. Here he not only oversaw breakfast and lunch services, but was also responsible for the lounge menu and was the chef charcuterier, teaching the kitchen how to make pates, rilletes, home-made sausages, and more.

Benguian began his career using a strict classic French technique, but through his decades of experience his cooking styles and techniques have evolved to integrate more international influences, including European, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Asian, North African, and others. Inspired by his new audience and location atop one of the world's most renowned arts centers, Benguian is incorporating these influences into his cuisine at the Roof Terrace Restaurant with dishes such as Cumin Seared Tuna Loin with tomatillo, mango, and papaya salsa. He is also infusing traditional cooking styles with the contemporary; for example, he is showcasing the classic dish Ratatouille Tart with an updated, seasonal presentation. In addition he creates specialty menus with dishes such as Bouillabaisse and Daube de Beouf.

Since beginning his culinary journey, Benguian has been intrigued by and studied famed TV personality chefs Julia Child, Jacques Pepin, and Graham Kerr's work. In his spare time he continues to read cookbooks from his collection of 600 to further his knowledge and develop new ideas for dishes at the restaurant. He also enjoys traveling abroad using different forms of transportation like bullet trains, famous train routes, and ocean liners.