Josh Crowley has been promoted to executive chef at Empire Mills and Hallie Jane’s Catering.

Crowley was born and raised in Morgan County and currently resides in Social Circle in Walton County. His passion for cooking began during his freshman year of high school when he started working at Yesterday’s Café in Rutledge.

This early experience laid the foundation for his future in the culinary world. He preferred cooking style is southern eclectic pulling from French and Nordic elements while using a single ingredient as the start of a dish and expanding its presence in multiple ways. He draws inspiration from chefs such as Rob McDaniel of Birmingham (SpringHouse Restaurant), Scott Crawford of Raleigh (Crawford & Son) and David Bancroft of Auburn (Acre).

Crowley attended the University of Georgia while continuing to work at Yesterday’s. In 2012, he decided to elevate his culinary education by enrolling at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Atlanta. He earned a spot at Atlanta’s favorite French bistro, Bistro Niko in Buckhead, during his time in culinary school. Once relocating to Athens, he joined the team at Hugh Acheson’s Five & Ten. Seeking to further his knowledge with upscale southern cooking, Josh moved to Gainesville where he worked at Table and Main located in Roswell. In 2021, Josh decided to return home to Madison and has spent the last two years working as Executive Sous Chef with Hallie Jane’s Catering at Empire Mills.

In his new position as executive chef, he will build on his current responsibilities of managing inventory and upholding the highest standards of safety and cleanliness, while continuing to deliver the wonderful family recipes that the HJC kitchen has come to be known for. In his new role, he looks forward to leading his culinary team in creating delicious seasonal menus that satisfy and exceed the varied expectations of Empire Mills and HJC’s guests. He looks forward to nurturing his relationships with local farmers and rising to the challenge of always delivering the highest quality meats, fish and produce within the southeast. This promotion is a testament to Josh’s success in the culinary industry and ensures that he will continue to grow as a chef and a leader.