Shaun Brian Sells
Years of Participation
2018-2023
Chef Shaun Brian Sells started life in a two-person tent surrounded by plantation ruins in the flats of Coral Bay, St. John, U. S. Virgin Islands. It was in that environment where his love for cooking began– by roaming and foraging through the valley, fishing off his dad’s sailboat and cooking for up to eight siblings at a time. Those challenges became the source of his inspiration, and led to his innovative culinary awakening.
After graduating from the College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales, Shaun was named one of Zagat’s Top 30 Under 30, nominated for a Rising Star by StarChefs, and invited to cook in the James Beard House. He went on to host the annual Friends of James Beard Benefits and has been acknowledged for outstanding contributions to JBF programs and scholarships. In addition, Brian is co-founder of the West Indian Chefs Alliance, an alumni of the JBF Boot Camp for policy and change, and was named Senior Chef on the U. S. Virgin Islands Culinary Team.
Brian has honed his skills at many famed 5-star restaurants throughout his career- including the Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas, OCEAN|362 in St. John, and the Historical Harbor View Hotel in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. Along the way he has worked under famed Chefs Andrew Chadwick, Michel Bras, John Ash, Levon Wallace, Michael “TheRev” Sullivan, and master butcher and salumi maker Francois Vecchio. Most recently he was tasked with building out the opening of Parcel 32.
Shaun Brian’s style harmoniously brings together the back-to-nature philosophy with the science of modern gastronomy. He has spent his career focusing on sustainability in sourcing and operating his restaurants. Chef Brian incorporates local seasonal produce, meats and seafood in his menus and prepares his food to highlight unique, local flavors rooted in Caribbean American cuisine.
When Shaun isn’t working, you will find him sourcing local salt water for salt production, foraging wild herbs, spearfishing or gardening on rooftops.