Vice President of Food Service, Spinx Convenience Stores
Greenville, SC
Participating In: Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner
Chef Jim Bressi recently celebrated forty years in the hospitality sector this past year since graduating from the Johnson And Wales Culinary Arts program. Over the decades Bressi has worked in Five Star/Five Diamond properties in Scottsdale, Washington DC, Seattle, New York. At one time, he had his own fine dining restaurant in Seattle WA, where he utilized the freshest ingredients from both the sea and the fields in his seafood focused menus. Bressi garnered distinction for the best new restaurant of the year by the Seattle Times and a Michelin nod in the same year.
Bressi took a break from fine dining and started a teaching career at the New England Culinary Institute where he inspired more than four thousand students during his 6-year tenure. Many of his students went on to their own acclaim at such places as the French Laundry, Boulud, Le Bernadine and the Food Network.
After leaving NECI, Bressi joined an international menu design and development group that supported multi national concepts in Europe and Asia. Bressi was fortunate enough to have travelled extensively throughout these areas and expanded his knowledge of world cultures and cuisines.
In 2007, Bressi ventured into a whole new realm of foodservice joining the forerunner in the Convenience Store channel, Kwik Trip. What makes Kwik Trip so innovative is the fact they own and operate their own food processing facilities including a Dairy, an Ice Cream plant, Bread Bakery, Sweets Bakery, Commissary, and Take-Home Meal operations. Bressi served as the Chef/Research and Development Director – Aka “Willie Wonka” for 15 years. He is credited for having created over 6,000 items from Ice Cream flavors, flavored Milks and Drinks to Sweet goods, Breads, Soups and Snacks.
Currently, Bressi is serving as the Vice President of Food Service for Spinx Convenience Stores in Greenville, SC. He has expanded the “Legendary” food service programs at Spinx and has recently planned and is overseeing the completion of a new Commissary operation in Charleston, SC.
Jim has been married for 36 years to the same wonderful woman, Karen that he met right after college. Jim and Karen reside in Greenville, SC where they enjoy the multitude of amazing dining and golfing options Greenville has to offer.