Raised within the foothills of the Smoky Mountains in Knoxville Tenn., Brett developed a passion for the restaurant business by age 16 while working in the kitchens of his hometown.  Soon after graduating from high school, Brett accepted an offer to wait tables at the esteemed Commander’s Palace in New Orleans. Only after he became a seasoned professional in the culinary industry did he fully understand the significance of working with and learning from Emeril Lagasse, Jamie Shannon and above all, Ella Brennan and her family.  

It was during his tenure at Commander’s Palace that his obsession with wine began. In a wine bar after work, a seven-year-old bottle of 1978 Bâtard-Montrachet paired with a small round of French Epoisses cheese transcended anything he had experienced before or knew was possible. This epiphany was the catalyst for his journey to becoming a Master Sommelier almost 25 years later.

In addition to Commander’s Palace, Brett’s path included positions at Michael’s in Santa Monica, Calif., Geronimo in Santa Fe, N.M., BIN 54 in Chapel Hill, N.C. and many other fine dining establishments across the country. In 1999 he joined the team of fine wine importer/distributor Vintner Select in Mason Ohio where he directed sales in the three state region of Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky of over 2500 wines from around the world. Brett earned the master sommelier diploma from the Court of Master Sommeliers in 2009 making him one of 111 in North America and 180 world wide to earn this title. 

In 2010, Brett left the wine distribution business and teamed with veteran restaurateurs Steven and Michael Ton to open Doc Crow’s Southern Smokehouse and Raw Bar. In it’s first year, Doc Crow’s has achieved national acclaim from Esquire Magazine, New York Times and Food & Wine Magazine.