Chef Kim Canteenwalla: 2026 BOSW Chef Series
James Beard Award-nominated chef Kim Canteenwalla brings more than 30 years of culinary experience and industry leadership to Las Vegas. His international career has included work in Singapore, Thailand, Dubai, Bali, Toronto and Montreal, along with leadership roles at restaurants and resorts around the world.
2026 BOSW Southwest Chef Series Hub
Canteenwalla later brought that global perspective to Nevada, serving as executive chef of MGM Grand in Las Vegas before opening Honey Salt with his wife and business partner, hospitality leader Elizabeth Blau.
Chef Kim Canteenwalla at a glance
Primary restaurant: Honey Salt
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Additional restaurant concept: Crown Block in Dallas, Texas
Cuisine: Market-inspired American cuisine with international influences
Professional recognition: James Beard Award nominee
Website: honeysalt.com
An international culinary career
Canteenwalla’s career has taken him through kitchens and hospitality properties across the globe. In addition to serving as the former executive chef of MGM Grand, he is the chef-owner of Honey Salt and managing partner of Buddy V’s Ristorante at The Venetian in Las Vegas.
In 2017, Canteenwalla conceptualized and developed multiple food and beverage outlets in Vancouver, Canada, which he continues to operate.
Honey Salt brings neighborhood dining to Summerlin
Located in Las Vegas’ Summerlin community, Honey Salt is a chef-driven neighborhood restaurant co-owned by Canteenwalla and Blau.
The restaurant celebrates market-inspired American cuisine, seasonal ingredients and community. The menus reflect the couple’s travels, childhood memories and meals shared with family and friends.
Canteenwalla is also a managing partner of Crown Block, a two-time Michelin-recommended steakhouse located atop Dallas’ iconic Reunion Tower. Its menu features premium steaks, seafood and plant-based cuisine with an emphasis on regional Texas ingredients.
Recipe for success
After leading restaurants and resort kitchens across Singapore, Thailand, Dubai, Bali, Toronto and Montreal, he brought his global perspective to Las Vegas, where he served as executive chef of MGM Grand before opening Honey Salt with Blau.
Today, Canteenwalla’s cooking blends international influences with approachable, ingredient-driven dishes. Through Honey Salt and his broader culinary work, he continues to contribute to Las Vegas’ evolution as one of the country’s most dynamic dining destinations.
Chef Kim Canteenwalla’s impact on Nevada’s dining scene
Canteenwalla has helped shape Nevada’s dining scene through decades of culinary leadership and an international career that has taken him around the world.
As the former executive chef of MGM Grand, he was part of Las Vegas’ rapidly evolving culinary landscape during a pivotal period for the city’s restaurant scene. Through Honey Salt, Canteenwalla has helped bring chef-driven, community-focused dining to Summerlin, demonstrating that exceptional food and hospitality extend well beyond the Strip.
His international experience also brings a diverse culinary perspective to Las Vegas, blending global influences with approachable dishes that reflect the city’s increasingly sophisticated and diverse dining culture.
Signature dish: Biloxi Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich
Honey Salt’s Biloxi Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich holds a special place on the restaurant’s menu: Biloxi, Mississippi, is where Canteenwalla and Blau met and fell in love.
The Southern-inspired take on a classic features crispy buttermilk-fried chicken, creamy slaw and house Durkee’s dressing. Named among Las Vegas’ best fried chicken sandwiches, the dish is both a guest favorite and a tribute to the beginning of the couple’s personal and professional partnership.
Explore the 2026 Southwest Chef Series
This profile is part of The Best of the Southwest’s 2026 Southwest Chef Series, celebrating the chefs shaping the future of dining across Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Texas and Southern California.
