Jean Joho facts for kids

Jean Joho is a famous chef and restaurant owner from France and America. He has owned many popular restaurants. Some of his well-known places include Everest in Chicago and The Eiffel Tower Restaurant in Las Vegas. He also had Brasserie Jo, which was first in Chicago and then in Boston.

Early Life and Learning to Cook

Jean Joho was born in a town called Barr in France. He started cooking very young! At just six years old, he was already helping in his aunt's restaurant kitchen. He even wore a full chef's uniform and hat while peeling vegetables.

When he was 11, he spent a summer making cheese in Marseilles. His official training began at age 13. He learned from a master chef named Paul Haeberlin at a famous place called L'Auberge de L'lll. Jean Joho continued to improve his cooking skills in other kitchens across Europe.

Jean Joho's Amazing Career

By the time Jean Joho was 23, he was a sous chef. This means he was a head assistant chef at a very fancy restaurant. It had three Michelin stars, which is a huge honor in the cooking world. He was in charge of a team of 35 people!

While studying at the Hotel Restaurant School in Strasbourg, he learned all about running hotels and restaurants. He also became an expert in making pastries, cheese, and choosing wines.

Everest Restaurant in Chicago

Jean Joho became famous around the world because of his restaurant, Everest. It was located on the 40th floor of the Chicago Stock Exchange building. Everest became one of the best dining places in the world.

He is also a managing partner at a company called Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises. This means he helps run many restaurants across the country. He has also partnered in other restaurant ideas, like Nacional 27 and M Burger in Chicago.

In 2013, Jean Joho and his team at Everest received four stars from the Chicago Tribune newspaper. This is a very high rating! He was also named "Restaurateur of the Year" in 2012 by a food guide called Gayot.

In December 2020, Chef Joho decided to close the Everest Restaurant. He explained in an interview that he closed it after 35 years because its lease (the agreement to rent the space) had ended.

Books by Jean Joho

Jean Joho wrote a cookbook called The Eiffel Tower Cookbook. It was published in 2008. In this book, he shares 50 of his special recipes.

Awards and Honors

• Restaurateur of the Year, 2012, from Gayot
• Everest restaurant earned a Michelin star in 2012.
• Everest received 4-star ratings from the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, and Chicago Magazine.
• Everest's wine list was called the "country's best selection of Alsace wine." This was said by USA Today, The New York Times, and Saveur magazines.