Jonathan Waxman facts for kids

Jonathan Waxman is a famous American chef. He helped create a cooking style called California cuisine. This style mixes French cooking methods with very fresh, local ingredients. Jonathan Waxman was the first chef to bring this exciting cooking style to New York City.

About Jonathan Waxman

Early Life and Music

Jonathan Waxman was born in 1950. He grew up near Berkeley, California. After finishing college at the University of Nevada, Reno, he played music. He was a trombonist in bands, even a rock band called "Lynx."

Becoming a Chef

Jonathan decided to change his career from music to cooking. He went to a special cooking school in France called La Varenne. In 1979, he opened a restaurant called Michael's Restaurant with Michael McCarty. It was near the beach in Santa Monica, California. Their new style of cooking attracted many people.

Bringing California Cuisine to New York

Five years later, Jonathan opened Jams Restaurant in New York City. People were very excited to try his "new California cooking." Jams became a very popular place to eat. His work there made him a celebrity chef. People even said chefs in the 1980s were like rock stars, and they thought of Jonathan. He also created other restaurants like Bud's, Hulot's, Jams of London, and Table 29. Esquire magazine even named him one of the most important Americans.

Jonathan's Current Restaurants

Today, Jonathan Waxman owns several restaurants. These include Barbuto and Jams in New York City. He also has Brezza Cucina in Atlanta and Adele's in Nashville. In 2016, he opened Waxman's in San Francisco. Barbuto is known for its "rustic Italian" food and cool, relaxed atmosphere. Jonathan also wrote a cookbook that came out in 2011.

TV Appearances

Jonathan Waxman has appeared on popular cooking shows. In 2018, he was a guest judge on MasterChef for its ninth season. He was even introduced as a mentor to another famous chef, Aarón Sanchez. He returned as a guest judge for the eleventh season of MasterChef in 2021. Jonathan has also been a judge on Guy's Grocery Games sometimes.

Top Chef: Masters Competition

In 2010, Jonathan Waxman was a contestant on a TV show called Top Chef: Masters. This show features experienced chefs competing against each other. He did very well, finishing fourth out of eighteen chefs. One of the main judges, James Oseland, said that Jonathan is "one of the country’s greatest chefs."

Personal Life

Jonathan Waxman lives in Manhattan, New York. He lives there with his wife, Sally, and their three children.