Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails at Kimpton’s Hotel Palomar Phoenix has hired Sean Currid as Executive Chef. Chef Currid comes from Elements at Sanctuary Resort & Spa where he served as Executive Catering Chef. Currid has been in the Valley for nearly 20 years and has also worked at Michael’s at the Citadel, Mary Elaine’s at The Phoenician and Cafe ZuZu at The Hotel Valley Ho.
Blue Hound guests will get a taste of Chef Currid’s cuisine when he releases a variety of new dishes on the new fall menu in late October.
ABOUT SEAN CURRID:
For nearly 20 years, Sean Currid has honed his skills in the Culinary Industry in the Valley. His food style falls under contemporary American cuisine, complimented with classic French cooking techniques.
Sean was born and raised in Thousand Oaks, California. In his teens, his family moved to El Paso, Texas. One of his first jobs in Texas was in a restaurant as a dishwasher and short order cook. It was at this job, his interest in food and cooking grew. Shortly after graduating from high school, he decided that he would take cooking seriously. Sean relocated to Phoenix to attend Scottsdale Culinary Institute and graduated in 1997.
Currid started his professional career at JW Marriott’s Camelback Inn while attending Culinary School. Upon completion of school, he continued working there for the next four years. He moved through the ranks of the restaurants at Camelback Inn and finally promoted to Banquet Chef. He moved on to work at Michael’s at the Citadel and was asked once again to join the team at JW Marriott’s Camelback Inn overseeing banquets. Currid was then offered a position at Mary Elaine’s at The Phoenician and worked with James Beard Award winner, Chef Bradford Thompson. Over the next two years, he immersed himself in the restaurant and refined his cooking techniques. In 2005, Sean went to go with Chef Charles Wiley, another James Beard winner, to re-open The Hotel Valley Ho. His most recent position was working with Chef Beau MacMillan as Executive Catering Chef at Sanctuary Camelback Resort and Spa.
Under his direction as Banquet Chef, at JW Marriott’s Camelback Inn, the resort received the Gold Platter Award by Meeting and Conventions magazine. In 2010, Sean was named one of “The Valley’s Top Five Sous Chefs” in AZ Magazine. He was also named one of “The Valley’s Seven Top Chefs” AZ Foothills Magazine. Sean was on Food Network’s show “Chef Wanted with Anne Burrell.
Sean continues to participate in charity fundraisers, and team with local farmers to create his menus. Currid has also had the privilege of assisting Chef Charles Wiley in New York at The James Beard House, as they represented Café ZuZu.
