MUSIC CITY CENTER EXECUTIVE CHEF RECEIVES FALCON AWARD

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Music City Center Executive Chef Max Knoepfel is the recipient of the 2025 Outstanding Service Award, presented by Nashville State Community College Foundation at the Falcon Awards ceremony Tuesday evening.

“I’m truly honored and humbled to receive this recognition,” Knoepfel said. “Being part of this greater Nashville community has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.”

Affectionately known as “Chef Max,” Knoepfel has been with the facility since the doors opened in May 2013. Innovation, sustainability, and community are the tenets of his culinary expertise. Under his leadership, MCC has developed partnerships with local farms to supply fresh produce and with local schools to train new talent, including NSCC culinary students.

“Chef Max truly deserves this honor. It speaks to his passion for his craft and his industry,” said MCC President and Chief Executive Officer Charles Starks. “We’re proud to support his efforts and celebrate his successes.”

The NSCC Foundation is a nonprofit organization that operates for the sole benefit of the college and its students. The Foundation works to provide quality education, remove financial barriers, and empower students to achieve their dreams for a brighter future. The annual Falcon Awards honor the college’s alumni and partners who support that mission.

Knoepfel has served on the Foundation board for eight years. He has also dedicated countless hours to the college’s Randy Rayburn School of Culinary Arts through education, fundraising, and advocacy.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute, to support these programs, and to witness its continued growth,” Knoepfel added. “The future of food is being written right here, and I’m proud to have even a small role in that story.”

The Outstanding Service Award is one of many bestowed upon Knoepfel during his tenure at MCC. Most recently, he received the 2023 International Foodservice Manufacturers Association Silver Plate Award in the Travel & Leisure category. That same year he was honored as the 2023 Chef of the Year by the American Culinary Foundation Middle Tennessee Chapter.

About Music City Center

Located in the heart of downtown Nashville, Music City Center (MCC) is a 2.1 million square foot convention center with more than 353,000 square feet of exhibit hall space, two ballrooms, 60 meeting rooms, and a covered parking garage with 1,800 spaces. The mission of MCC is to create significant economic benefit for the greater Nashville area, while focusing on community inclusion, sustainability, and exceptional customer service, through conventions, trade shows, and community events.

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