Susan Knox Wilson
Chef Robert Nixon has joined Toscana’s as Chef de Cuisine. Chef Robert brings with him a wealth of experience and a love of menus showcasing Italian-influenced steaks and seafood – a perfect match for Toscana’s!
Before joining Toscana’s earlier this spring, Chef Robert was Executive Chef at Geordie’s Restaurant in the Wrigley Mansion for four years. There he oversaw the modernization of the restaurant and the overhaul of the restaurant’s identity from French-American eatery to Italian steakhouse. Prior to Geordie’s, Nixon spent eight years working at the Biltmore Chophouse, Donavan’s. And before that the chef honed his skills for eight years under James Beard Award winning Chef Christopher Gross at the first of Christopher’s many successful restaurants.
Chef Robert began cooking at the age of 15 at a Pizza Hut in Liberal, Kansas, home of the National Beef Packing plant. He discovered his forte immediately, finding that he enjoyed all aspects of cooking and deciding at a young age to pursue a career in the culinary arts. He enrolled in the Scottsdale Culinary Institute, graduated in 1990, started his career as Lead Line Cook at the Scottsdale Princess Las Ventanas Resort and has kept learning and growing ever since.
A resident of Glendale, Chef Robert is grateful for the easy drive to work at Toscana’s. “When I was working at Geordie’s the commute was really long and time consuming,” Chef Robert recalls: “Now I find I have more time for my family, my church and my hobbies.” An avid gardener, he has two raised-bed gardens in his backyard and is growing a wide variety of vegetables including cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and zucchini. “The only problem,” jokes Chef, “is that now I have to start canning – but that beats commuting any day!”
Asked about this cooking philosophy, Chef Robert replied “You’re only as good as the people around you. Fortunately at Toscana’s we have a really, really great team. It’s a positive team and I think we’re a perfect match.”