Zach Watkins
Nautilus Pier 4
Chef de Cuisine
Born in Dallas Texas, chef Zach grew up in a tight knit family, having his mother homeschool him alongside his sister and brother. He discovered his love for cooking by watching Great Chef’s of the World at home. Each episode focused on a chef in their kitchen making a dish of their choice. He always knew from that point on that there was something about cooking that took hold of him, because in that moment watching that show, nothing else mattered.
After completing some college level courses during high school Zach set out for San Francisco to attend California Culinary Academy where he was able to apply his passion and develop his knife skills and techniques.
After school, Zach came to Boston to work at Clío, Ken Oringers flagship restaurant known for churning out talented chefs. This fine dining experience helped him connect with Ken’s partner Jamie Bissonette at Toro. This relationship further launched his career when he moved to Bangkok to open Toro BKK.
After two years in Bangkok, he then moved to New York City to run Toro in Manhattan.
After the pandemic, Zach reconnected with Steve Marcauelle, who he worked with at Clio, and joined The Nautilus Boston opening team as the now Chef de Cuisine, bringing finesse and a militant like mind set to the kitchen culture.