Rising Star 2023: Meredith Marshall

By Toby Bloomberg

Meredith Marshall, Executive Chef
DASH Hospitality Group, Dunwoody

Meredith Marshall never stepped into a restaurant, as a culinary professional, until she accepted a position as prep cook at Nick’s Westside in the Home Park neighborhood. Although she was only 23, and with no restaurant experience, Partner/Executive Chef Nick Leahy hired her. “I cared so much, and I showed that I cared so much,” says Marshall. “It helped them respect me and what I was able to give them.”

From there her responsibilities progressed quickly to line cook and then to leadership positions at several DASH Hospitably Group restaurants in Dunwoody Village. A year later, Marshall was tasked with helping open Bar{n} Booze {n} Bites and was soon promoted to Executive Chef at the Dunwoody restaurant.

Today, Marshall is Executive Chef at the new DASH Hospitably Group’s concept Morty’s Meat & Supply. She oversees BOH staff of approximately 18 people. You can also find her working in the kitchen preparing dishes that she developed.

For Marshall, cooking is a source of creativity. She enjoys pushing the boundaries of what is familiar and expected, and her dishes give guests something they don’t see every day. “Doing things differently is important to me,” she says.

She’s had many mentors along the way, including DASH Hospitality Group Owner David Abes who helped Marshall master the front-of-house perspective of service. She, in turn, has embraced David Abe’s philosophy. “’The answer is yes, what’s the question’, is his motto, one that’s not always found when it comes to the hospitality industry,” she says.

When it comes to managing staff, she makes it a point to interact with each person, taking into consideration their experiences. “I listen to them to hear their side of the story,” she says. “I understand people learn differently, and I don’t have one overarching method.”

With her creativity in the kitchen and her ability to manage employees with patience and kindness, Marshall has found a rewarding career in the hospitality industry. “I love it,” she says. “Every day I wake up thinking about the work. It’s always been something I’ve been passionate about from a very, very young age; it’s just a part of who I am.”

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