Chef Kirstyn Bielawa - Executive Chef

As the executive chef of Ironwood Kitchen & Cocktails, Kirstyn Bielawa oversees day-to-day operations and ensures excellence at every step of the dining experience, from ingredient preparation to unforgettable service. Bielawa brings over 10 years of culinary excellence to the team and now serves as Valor Hospitality Partners’ first-ever female executive chef.

Prior to joining The Valley Hotel and Ironwood Kitchen & Cocktails, Bielawa served as the executive sous chef at The Harpeth Hotel in Franklin, Tennessee. Before her move to the South inspired by her love of barbeque, Bielawa worked as a sous chef for several restaurants in her hometown of La Quinta, California. Her robust kitchen experience has uniquely prepared her to not only create a dynamic dining experience for guests, but a supportive and innovative working environment primed to grow and develop aspiring chefs.

Bielawa’s love for food and imaginative flavors started at an early age, forged over moments in her family’s kitchen with her mother and grandmother. Her passion for creating culinary masterpieces was furthered at Johnson & Wales University in Denver, Colorado, where she earned her associate's degree in culinary arts. When she’s not at work, you can find her grilling in the backyard, hiking with her fiancée and their two dogs or traveling back to California to spend time with her newborn niece.