Andrew Morrison, Executive Chef at The Fairmont Pittsburgh

Chef Andrew Ian Morrison Rivers, bridges, sports fans and the gritty heart and soul of an industrial city like Pittsburgh is a homecoming of sorts for Chef Andrew Morrison. Born in a county named after two rivers-- Tyne and Wear-- in North East England near Newcastle, Morrison was raised in Cheshire just south of Manchester.

Morrison joins the Fairmont Pittsburgh from the Four Seasons Atlanta where he served as Executive Sous of Georgia's only five star, five diamond hotel. Morrison started with the Four Seasons Miami, another five diamond luxury hotel, in 2006.

A proponent of Contemporary Cuisine and the Slow Food Movement, Morrison is classically French-trained. "From scratch cooking and creative menu development are my strengths," says Morrison. "I cook according to the ingredients I find-- a deceptively simple approach that bolsters the essence of each ingredient and creates layers of flavor."

Mark Bittman, author of Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating and the weekly New York Times column The Minimalist had this to say: "I'm delighted to have eaten food cooked by Andrew, and even happier to have cooked with him. He's talented, smart, unpretentious, and fun - all the things you want in a chef."

While in Florida Morrison routinely flew on puddle jumpers alongside groceries as the private chef for Musha Cay, an exclusive private island-resort in the Bahamas as well as Little Whale Cay. In New York City from 1999-2004, Morrison consulted, developed and launched several successful ventures including The Biltmore Room in Chelsea. The Biltmore Room was named the best new restaurant of the year and Chef Gary Robins was nominated for a James Beard Award in 2004. 

Previously, Morrison did a two-year stint at Seattle's Lampreia with Chef Scott Carsberg, 2006 James Beard Award winner. But it was his tenure as Chef/Owner of The Chipper, a fast casual fish and chip shop in Sunnyside, Queens that won him international acclaim. Food critic William Grimes declared The Chipper the "ultimate in down market no frills fried food."

"Early in my career I was lucky enough to spend time in the kitchens of known master chefs in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and New York City," Morrison says. "Each experience has, undoubtedly, influenced me."