Our Team

Chef Thomas Melvin

Executive Chef

Chef Thomas began his career in the Center Grove area working in local restaurants. From there he gained experience at the Country Club of Indianapolis, Canterbury Hotel, Mo’s a place for Steaks, and Prime 47. During his tenure at Prime 47, he took on the role of corporate executive chef – this allowed Chef Thomas to mentor chefs over 5 locations in Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin. In 2014 he joined Cunningham Restaurant Group as Executive Chef of Union 50. This is where his creative voice started to emerge. Under Chef Thomas’s direction Union 50 made Open Table’s list of 100 Hottest Restaurants in America for two consecutive years. In 2017, Chef Thomas transitioned to Executive Chef at Vida where his culinary artistry and respect for the craft has maintained AAA’s 4 diamond award every year since.

When Chef Thomas finds time away from his busy restaurant schedule, he enjoys spending time with his wife Amanda and their two children Grant & Stella. Thomas even finds time to work with his wife on their local nonprofit, Stella’s Solemates Inc. Fundraising to support the local Down Syndrome organization as well as the needs of other organizations who work towards a common goal of advocacy, education, and inclusion for those with special needs.