Josh Habiger
Bastion | Nashville TN
July 2026
Born and raised in Minnesota, Josh Habiger was drawn to the kitchen from an early age, when some friends of his picked up shifts cooking at Kate's Kitchen, a local diner. Habiger soon joined them and quickly developed a passion for the industry. He eventually made his way through kitchens in New York and Chicago, working at Chef Tom Colicchio's Craft before joining the opening team at Alinea under Chef Grant Achatz. Later, he returned to Minnesota to become the chef de cuisine at Hotel Ivy, cooking with purpose while tackling large-scale production and management.
In 2009, Habiger got connected—through Rising Stars alum Toby Maloney of The Violet Hour—with Rising Stars alumni Benjamin and Max Goldberg. That same year, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee to help them open The Patterson House as general manager. Two years later, Habiger was eager to get back in the kitchen and saw an opportunity to bring something new to Nashville. In 2011, he joined forces with the Goldbergs to open The Catbird Seat with Chef Erik Anderson. Habiger went on to create Pinewood Social's menu in 2013 as the culinary director of the Goldbergs' Strategic Hospitality.
Three years later, Habiger opened Bastion, a highly personal, 24-seat tasting menu restaurant and bar in Wedgewood-Houston. There, he and his team have earned the restaurant one Michelin star and he's been nominated as a finalist for the James Beard Award Best Chef: Southeast in 2023. Also in 2023, Habiger became a partner at Strategic Hospitality, where he continues to mentor, uplift, and collaborate with the chefs at Bastion and execute broader initiatives within the hospitality group.
2026 StarChefs Nashville Rising Stars Mentor Chef Award Winner
