Nathaniel Sloan, 32 / Owner/Executive Chef, bloom | restaurant & wine-bar
Born and raised on Ojai Farm, an organic standard practicing vegetable farm in Ferrum, Nathaniel Sloan grew up raising, harvesting and preserving food, a practice he continues today. Sloan’s passion for quality, local food pairs with his belief that food and community go hand in hand, creating his restaurant as a space where people can gather and share. Sloan plays an integral part of the Wasena neighborhood’s rebuild and growth, working with other businesses to promote the area and encourage community events such as Black Lives Matter. He works closely with nonprofit organizations like The Humble Hustle, Music Lab at the Jefferson Center and the Latino Community Foundation, and participated in the “Take-Out Hunger” campaign last summer. His experience in the industry distinguishes him as a leader in the region for accessing fresh ingredients, helping many farms become established staples. “The community of Roanoke inspires me to create and provide a hospitality experience that nourishes not only the guests that enter one of our establishments,” Sloan says, “but also one that further supports our local community as a result of ingredient purchasing/sourcing, the promotion of overall wellness and the advancement of equality.”
- Platinum, Best New Restaurant, Roanoker Magazine, 2020
- Platinum, Chef of Roanoke Valley, Roanoker Magazine, 2012-2013
- Best Locavore Restaurant, Roanoker Magazine, 2011-2013
- Best Brunch, Garden and Gun Magazine, 2012
- Featured on “Man Fire Food” Season 6, Episode 2, “Swine Dining”
- Best Chefs of America Member (peer-nominated)
- Sel de la Terre, Boston, MA: Jr. Sous Chef
- L’espalier, Boston, MA: Chef de Tournant
- Local Roots, Roanoke, VA: Executive Chef
- Nightbell, Asheville, NC: Pastry Chef de Partie; Chef de Tournant
- Hickory Nut Gap Farm, Fairview, NC: Executive Chef/Events Chef
- Agribusiness Grant Recipient for the Appalachian Medicinal Herb Growers Consortium
- Served as chef consultant for the LEAP kitchen, 2015
From the Nominations: “bloom | restaurant & wine-bar is the result of a lifetime of learning for chef/owner Nate Sloan. … After high school, he moved to Colorado, getting his first taste of working in restaurant kitchens. … After a few years, he moved back to Roanoke, with the goal to build the restaurant he had been envisioning for years. … When the pandemic hit the states, bloom had been open only eight months. Sloan had to quickly adjust his business to accommodate the needs and safety of the community and staff, while not sacrificing the high quality ingredients on his menu, as well as keeping his staff employed and supporting his local farmers. As we have seen, many businesses, especially small businesses, haven’t been able to endure these challenging times, but Sloan rose to the occasion with bloom. … We would say feeding people is Sloan’s number one love language. While the food is the most obvious, what may go unseen, particularly because he is so humble, is behind the scenes, the attention he pays to detail and the efforts he takes to support his community. He believes in his team, he believes in Wasena and he believes in Roanoke. He is a shining example of his generation and very much deserves this award. … Anyone that works with Sloan will tell you he is the first one in the door and usually the last to leave. He puts his heart into his work and this is reflected in his staff; he leads his team by example and as such, his employees are dedicated, hardworking and continually seeking to expand their knowledge and skillset. … It is a well-established fact among us that Sloan is the best employer any of us has had the good fortune to work for. His passion and humility and seemingly endless reserve of ingenuity and energy inspire all who meet him…”
What do you love about Roanoke?
Sloan: “Roanoke’s innate respect for community and its abundance of nature.”
How does your passion impact our community?Sloan: “The community of Roanoke inspires me to create and provide a hospitality experience that nourishes not only the guests that enter one of our establishments, but also one that further supports our local community as a result of ingredient purchasing/sourcing, the promotion of overall wellness and the advancement of equality.”
