Originally from Hickory, NC, Chef Andrew Donovan acquired his culinary education at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale while he interned and worked at Oliver Saucy’s Café Maxx. After graduation, he moved to Birmingham, Alabama, where he worked as Chef de Cuisine for the East City Grill—an Innovative Restaurants Concepts property, also owned by Oliver Saucy. He then worked at the Sapphire Grill in Atlanta, GA as Executive Chef under Chef- Proprietor Chris Nason. In 2005 he accepted an invitation to cook at the famed James Beard House’s Savannah Nights dinner.
In October 2006, Donovan moved to Manhattan, where he began cooking at the exclusive Core Club under the supervision of consulting chef Tom Colicchio. During this time he accepted a second invitation to cook at the James Beard House. Chef Donovan then took a job at Tía Pol, where under Donovan’s direction, Tía Pol was named as New York’s best Spanish restaurant in the Zagat guide. With The Brine and Bottle, Chef Donovan has returned to his North Carolina roots to create a culinary destination in Nags Head that showcases local, seasonal cuisine in a small plate format.