GRAND BLANC, Mich. — Chef Nate Brown, a Flint native renowned for his culinary creations for VIPs such as Bill Ford Jr., Halle Berry, and Steven Spielberg, is opening his own restaurant, Elements Modern Kitchen and Cocktails, inside the Wyndham Hotel at Gateway Centre in Grand Blanc. Brown, who began his culinary journey over two decades ago with cooking demonstrations at the Flint Farmer’s Market, described his new venture as offering “world inspired comfort dishes.” He highlighted his featured dish, a “Persian Lamb Shank Etoufee,” as a standout on the menu. “I just want to combine all these different cultures and get people to just come and try something different,” Brown said. The restaurant’s menu also includes Honey Bourbon Glazed Carrots, a Thai-inspired curry seasoned shrimp dish, and Black-Eyed Pea Hummus with fresh Sumac Seasoned Pita Chips. Sous Chef Krystle Thorn, who attended culinary school with Brown, expressed her confidence in his vision, leaving a previous job to join

Brown’s new restaurant. “I actually just put in my two weeks notice a few weeks ago for Nate because I have that much faith in him,” she said. Executive Sous Chef Todd Alton praised Brown’s ability to manage multiple tasks seamlessly. “He seems to make things come together that he wants to come together,” Alton said. Brown hopes his restaurant will serve as a unifying space. “The world is so divided—different cultures, racism, money, classism—all this different division. But, this table, this dining room table is the one thing that we can all enjoy, just sitting down and enjoying a good meal,” he said. The grand opening of Elements Modern Kitchen and Cocktails is set for Friday, May 16, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 3 p.m., followed by happy hour from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., featuring drink specials, a live band, and a DJ for entertainment.