Meet Our Chefs

Chef Will Thornton

Chef, Will Thornton has opened his new restaurant “William and Water” in the spring of 2023.  His bold international flavours, served sharing style,  along with the relaxed vibe of the restaurant have turned it into a local hotspot.

Chef Pierre Richard

Chef Pierre A. Richard, born and raised in Moncton N.B., developed a taste for the culinary arts at an early age. Under the guidance of his mother, he joined in planting, cultivating and finally the harvesting of the family garden. The garden’s offerings became a pallet for Pierre in the family kitchen, resulting in him being responsible for the preparation, cooking and serving of family meals several days a week. Coupled with this experience, and a desire to expand his horizons, Pierre sought summer employment in the culinary field in local restaurant kitchens.

Hearing about possible openings in the industry and fueled with a desire to further his dream, he decided in his late teens, to cast his eyes to the West and soon found employment in the industry in British Columbia. To further his career futures, Pierre moved to Canmore Alberta where he completed his apprenticeship in a well-known AAA/CAA Diamond Restaurant. From that point he was then spirited away to the kitchen of the nationally known Crazyweed Café. The final result of his quest was the achievement of his Red Seal Chef Certification at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. (S.A.I.T.)

Pierre relocated back to Saint John N.B. in 2006, working in several local restaurants until he gained employment as Chef de Cuisine at Opera Bistro. Under the tutelage of Master Chef Axel Begner, Pierre matured as an up and coming culinary force. An opportunity to move back to Moncton was eminent as he had an opportunity to join the kitchen brigade at one of Atlantic Canada’s award winning and premier restaurants, Little Louis’ in Moncton, N.B. as Sous Chef. Pierre’s kitchen contributions of promoting local product and unique taste completed the quality required in the kitchen by then Chef Andrew Stevens. This teamwork and artistry resulted in Little Louis’ being awarded Four Diamond Restaurant status by AAA/CAA. This award was in addition to the internationally recognized Wine Spectator Award, among numerous others.

With the departure of Chef Stevens, Pierre assumed the mantle of Chef and with his guiding hands and culinary artistry, has maintained the Four Diamond award at Little Louis’, for 7 years running. Pierre, in his

support of local food stuffs, can also be seen foraging the fields, marshes and forests, acquiring common and unique natural ingredients to introduce in his creative recipes. His innovative creations has led to the University of Guelf awarding him Gold status two years running and one silver in competition for “Good Food Innovation”. The crowning award was an invitation to the prestigious James Beard House in New York representing Canadian menu where his Atlantic Provinces dishes were greeted with admiration and accolades.

Pierre also has organized and participated in local and New Brunswick festivals, promoting regional dishes and the up and coming regional Chef’s. Recently Chef Pierre has accepted invitations to cook for some of the top V.I.P.’s and Chefs in Montreal and New York with a resounding acknowledgement of his ability to invoke unique flavours and artistic presentation.

At Little Louis’ Chef Richard is at home with his hand picked kitchen team, creating exquisite flavours and aromatic experiences, with his Modern French Cuisine offerings featuring local products that has maintained and enhanced the Little Louis’ dining experience.

Chef Lisa Aronson

A native of Vancouver Island, Lisa Aronson began her career early on, learning the ropes in various small restaurants in Victoria, British Columbia. Realizing she had found her path in life, Lisa continued her gastronomic career by joining the team at The Delta Lodge at Kananaskis. While at the Delta Lodge, also completed her apprenticeship at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and Trades.

Lisa then moved on The Algonquin in the spring of 2007, fell in love with the east coast and stayed on till 2016. This valuable experience would pave the way, to open up a place of her very own The 5 Kings Brew Pub located in St. Stephen

Chef Ken Pittman

Chef Jon Morrison

Chef Jesse Vergen

Celebrity chef and restaurateur | Owner of SJAH, Smoking Pig BBQ, Toro Taco, Barred Rock | Top Chef alumni

Chef Chris Aerni

After a traditional chef’s training in Switzerland and extended education in business studies in the hospitality industry, Chris Aerni travelled and worked in various restaurants and hotels gaining experience in the different kitchen ranks and corporate managerial positions from Australia to Toronto. In 2001 he and his wife purchased the Rossmount Inn in St. Andrews by the sea, New Brunswick, an 87 acre estate, set between the forest and the sea including an 18 room country Inn with a fully licensed bar and restaurant.

While fulfilling his chef’s dream and culinary vision, the restaurant at the Rossmount Inn has gained a wonderful reputation for its creative, market fresh cuisine honoring local ingredients and the people who produce them.

Today, Chris Aerni’s kitchen has become a reputable training ground for young chefs and culinary students. They have the opportunity to obtain culinary knowledge in a kitchen that focuses its daily menu on the availability of the products from the kitchen garden, the nearby organic farmers, the community supported fisheries and not least the seasonal foraging of wild foods such as mushrooms, cat tails, goose tongue greens, kelp, etc.

With a focus on demonstrating the use of local products in his restaurant at the Rossmount Inn and as an avid promoter of the Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick and Atlantic Canadian products, Chris has become a regular speaker at sustainable seafood events along the Atlantic coast.

Chef Amy Pelletier

Amy’s passion for food is evident in every dish she creates. Her culinary education at CCNB has not only allowed her to transform her passion into a business, but also to step into her own signature cooking style.

For three months Amy worked in Normandy, France under a successful caterer and pastry chef Alexandre Didier as part of a work experience program with CCNB. During this time Amy honed her skills as a caterer and experienced elevated food culture.  The unique expertise that Amy gained while in France, combined with her indigenous and Acadian home cooking background, can be tasted in every meal she makes for her happy customers.

Chef Alex Newton

Originally hailing from Vancouver, BC he’s now made his home on the East Coast after falling in love with the vibe out here. We look forward to see what he brings to the weekend!

Chef Alex Haun

Chef Alex Haun is from St. Andrews New Brunswick, a small seaside community in southwestern New Brunswick.

Alex had started his culinary career by the age of 13, working at the Garden Café located at Kingsbrae Garden in his hometown, Saint Andrews New Brunswick. He spent 5 years there while finishing his public schooling. Following his dreams of becoming a chef, Alex enrolled in the 2 year culinary arts program at the Culinary Institute of Canada in Prince Edward Island. This lead to an apprentice position at the Relais & Châteaux Kingsbrae Arms.

After finishing Culinary Arts, Alex took a position as Chef de Partie at the Dundee Arms. Before completing his term, he made the decision to finish what he started and he re-enrolled at the CIC for the Pastry Arts Program. During this time Chef Alex started competition cooking, individually and as a member of Team PEI, where he was later nominated as Team Captain. After graduating from the Pastry Program, he became Sous Chef at Stanhope Bay and Beach Resort, part of the Murphy Group of Restaurants, where he eventually became a Corporate Pastry Chef. Alex hadn’t had his fill of the CIC, and returned yet again to be an active member on Culinary Team Canada for one and a half years. As a result, he competed at the Nations Cup in Grand Rapids Michigan and the Culinary Olympics in Erfurt Germany. To date Chef Alex has 12 culinary Gold medals to his name and 5 of them are international wins.

Moving back home to St. Andrews, the talented young Chef Alex opened his first restaurant, Savour, in 2009, at the age of 22. Savour is designed as a Chef’s Tasting restaurant.

In 2013, Chef Alex was presented a unique opportunity to return to his roots at Kingsbrae Garden as the Executive Chef. He operates the Garden Café and brought his restaurant, Savour and created Savour in the Garden. He also designed a gastro pub evening every Wednesday called PUMP night which is consistently sold out. With Special Events and weddings every weekend, his operations continue to grow, fostering apprentices and creating new dishes daily.

The Garden Café operates daily from the months of May- November with specials daily and seasonal, sourced from his very own garden at Kingsbrae. Savour in the Garden offers a 9-12 course tasting menu and changes week to week showcasing Chef Alex’s talents and ever growing skills. Often found on his menus include local foraged ingredients that he has foraged himself from the beaches and woods he grew up exploring.

Chef Alex takes great pride to create all his menus using fresh and local ingredients, minding his environmental footprint by using items from his own garden and other local suppliers around New Brunswick.

He has a great reputation for his intricate plating skills often challenging himself using many components on one plate to create a work of art and creating a flavour profile to surprise and delight his guests. His plates are truly a work of art.