Tyler Westervelt grew up in Poughkeepsie, New York, and started his restaurant career at 17 as a dishwasher. Drawn to the craftsmanship of cooking—and the wonderfully odd people who work in kitchens—he quickly knew he wanted to be a chef. Over the years, he’s worked nearly every corner of the food industry, including serving, delivery, butchery, and, of course, cooking.
In his early twenties, Tyler traveled with his band before settling down and focusing on his culinary career. Music remains a huge part of his life. He’s been playing guitar since 2002, can pick up just about any stringed instrument, and rarely goes more than a few minutes without talking about food or music.
A chance introduction at a music festival—”Hi, I’m Ty. I’m gonna be your neighbor this weekend”—led him to meet his partner, Sophia, and eventually move nearly 1,000 miles from upstate New York to Atlanta.
When he’s not in the kitchen, you’ll find Tyler at a concert, planning his next trip, or making his famous black bean and roasted corn pico (which his friends stubbornly call “bean dip”). Snorkeling reefs in the Bahamas is one of his favorite adventures so far, while visiting Japan, playing at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, and retiring on a beach in Mexico are still on the bucket list. If he ever wins the lottery, there’s a good chance most of it will end up spent at Big House Guitars.
