Nashville chef, 26, identified as runner who died in St. Jude marathon
Nashville chef Joey Fecci, 26, has been identified as the participant who died Saturday in the St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Series Nashville Marathon.
The family released a statement Monday:
"It is with unbearable grief and immense sorrow that we share our dear and beloved Joey transitioned to the other side on Saturday, April 27th. He was a bright light of inspiration and positivity to everyone that was blessed to cross paths with him. He was a treasured son, brother, boyfriend, and friend to so many. He leaves behind a broken family that loves him so very much. A more detailed statement will follow." – Eric Patti Nick Lucas Olivia.
The Rock 'n' Roll Running Series, which owns the St. Jude Marathon and Half Marathon, said in a statement released Sunday that Fecci received urgent medical attention by an on-site medical team before being rushed to a nearby hospital, where he died.
“We appreciate the medical personnel who worked quickly to support the participant,” the organization said. “We share our greatest sympathies with the family and friends of the race participant, and we will continue to offer them our support as they go through this very difficult time. Out of respect for the participant and their family we will have no further comment.”
Fecci joined Yolan in 2020 and was promoted from head sous chef to chef de cuisine in 2022. In that position, he worked closely with chef and partner Tony Mantuano to spearhead research and development of the restaurant’s seasonal menus and special events.
Joey Fecci's career at Yolan in Nashville
Fecci’s experience was notable for a chef so young.
According to a 2022 media release announcing Fecci’s promotion, he launched his restaurant career at 15 as a busboy, pizza chef and garde manger at Lucia Restaurant in his hometown of Somers, New York.
Later, while enrolled The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, Fecci interned at Charlie Palmer’s Michelin-starred Aureole. Prior to joining the team at Yolan, Fecci was chef de partie at Per Se in New York City.
Fecci met Mantuano while working at the Michelin-starred Spiaggia, the famed and now-closed Chicago Italian restaurant where Mantuano was chef for 35 years.
Per the 2022 release, Fecci was reunited with Mantuano after coincidentally jogging by Yolan, an upscale, chef-driven seasonal Italian restaurant in the Joseph hotel, prior to its opening. Fecci then relocated to Nashville to work next to Mantuano again.
“Joey is a storyteller in the kitchen,” Mantuano said in the statement. “…This promotion is a testament to Joey’s talent and dedication, and we know he will continue raising the bar to deliver a dining experience that blends exquisite cuisine with extraordinary service and hospitality.”
In February, Fecci announced via Instagram post that he would be leaving Yolan.
“I have been fortunate enough to spend the last 3.5 years being (a part) of something truly great,” he wrote. “… I have learned so much during my time here, not just as a chef but as a person. Yet, the thing that I learned the most is that it’s not the food or the service that makes restaurants so special. It’s the people that dedicate themselves to the craft of hospitality and food, and the guests that come and support those dedicated people. The restaurant is just a by-product of passion and culture.”
In a statement from The Joseph, the team there expressed deep sadness.
"Chef Joey Fecci was an integral part of the Yolan team from pre-opening in July 2020 to January 2024," the statement said. "Our hearts and thoughts are with his family and friends, and we kindly ask that you respect their privacy and our team’s during this time of grief."
Colleague Angelo Ferrante had a simple message for his friend.
"Ciao Chef," he wrote on Facebook.
Ferrante worked with Fecci at Yolan for "a year and a few months."
"His dishes were consistently flawless, both in presentation and taste," Ferrante said. "I am grateful for the time we spent working together and thank him for sharing his talent with me. He will be greatly missed by the entire kitchen world and his colleagues and friends."
Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville runner who died in St. Jude marathon ID'd as Joey Fecci, 26
