ChurchStreet Family Hospitality has named Abner Hernandez Executive Chef at Purveyor, its Michelin-recommended flagship in Huntsville. Hernandez comes from The Trilogy Hotel, Autograph Collection, where he launched culinary operations, and before that spent time in Birmingham's top kitchens including Bib Gourmand-rated OvenBird and the Michelin-recommended Hot and Hot Fish Club.
Hernandez brings a Cuban heritage and French-American technique to Purveyor's menu, which will continue its focus on local sourcing and seasonal ingredients. Early dishes under his leadership include beet-cured salmon crudo with honey, rosemary fermented cara cara, sweet chili crisp, wasabi and yuzu tobiko; strawberry shortcake tres-leches; and New York strip with smoked harissa, gomen wat, ras el hanout and salsa criolla. The approach is ingredient-driven and culturally expansive—rooted in his early Southern barbecue experience and global technique.
He'll work alongside Sous Chef Ried Goram, named 2025 Best New Culinarian of the Year by the State of Alabama, under the mentorship of Executive Corporate Chef Luis Branez, who helped secure Purveyor's Michelin recognition. It's a deep bench for a market that's punching above its weight in the modern Southern dining conversation.
"His creativity, discipline, and perspective reflect the evolution of our culinary program and the momentum in Huntsville as we help shape the future of elevated dining in the South," said Stephanie Kennedy-Mell, owner of ChurchStreet Family Hospitality.
ChurchStreet's portfolio includes Purveyor, Church Street Wine Shoppe and Catacomb435 Speakeasy. The group has earned Restaurateurs of the Year and Retailer of the Year honors in the market.
Huntsville continues to build credibility as a culinary destination, and Purveyor's leadership move signals intent to stay ahead of that curve. Hernandez's hire is a bet on technique, heritage storytelling and a willingness to layer global influences onto Southern ingredients. Watch how this plays out over the next year—it's a model other markets will study.
