29 reasons that Johnson & Wales grads are ruling the Charlotte food scene

I was asked to look into the JWU grad scene by my friend Jason. I’ll admit – I knew of maybe two Johnson & Wales graduates (and where they are currently) before starting my research. Finding out that many incredibly talented chefs/managers here came from a school right down the road makes me very excited. (Note: Some of these folks actually graduated from another JWU campus. Still cool.)

This list is meant to shine light on these graduates so we can go eat their food and also be thankful that they chose in stay right here in the Queen City. So thank you, all of you.

29  people, that are shaping the Charlotte culinary scene.

Samantha Ward

Pastry Chef, The Fig Tree Restaurant

Patrick Cornell

Chef, The Punch Room

Miles Dean

Sous Chef, Good Food on Montford

Drew Dodd 

Executive Chef, Stagioni: Four Seasons of Food

Thomas Marlow

Executive Chef, Mimosa Grill

Robert Reinken

Chef de Cuisine, Evoke

Mike Long

Sous Chef, Bonterra

Chris Bateman

Executive Chef, Aria Tuscan Grill

Matt Wenrich

Chef, Heist Brewery

Jamie Barnes

Owner and Chef, What the Fries Food Truck 

Clark Barlowe and his team at Heirloom

Clark Barlowe, Owner and Chef
Myles, Junior Sous Chef
Zack, Excecutive Sous Chef
Ann Marie, Pastry Chef
Sarah Turner Wells, Restaurant Manager

Nicolas Daniels

Chef and Owner, Loft & Cellar (coming soon)

Kevin Chan

Chef and Co-owner, New Wrap Order

Matthew Williams

Owner and Chef, Rico’s Acai

Mike Watson

Executive Chef, Libations Kitchen & Bar

Kris Reid

Director of Operations, modPALEO

Joseph Valdez

Sous Chef, Fern, Flavors from the Garden

Benjamin Frye

Co-owner and Operator, Your Mom’s Donuts

Ethan Moyer

Chef de Cuisine, Block & Grinder (Lake Norman location coming soon)

Adam Duke

Co-owner, Dukes Bread (Adam’s wife, Ellen Duke, is currently an instructor at JWU.)

Jonathan Fortes

Owner and Chef, The Flipside Café (in Fort Mill, SC) and The Flipside Restaurant (in Rock Hill, SC)

Vanessa Smith

Chef, Harvest Moon Grille (in Lincolnton, NC)

Geoffrey F. Bragg

Chef, Community Culinary School of Charlotte (CCSC)

Craig Linthicum

Sous Chef, Nourish Charlotte

Tara Diamante and Brenton Ebersold

Chefs and Owners, Bleu Barn Bistro Food Truck (They met at JWU and are engaged!), Brenton is also the head chef of the City Club of Rock Hill.

Richard Diezi

Sous Chef, Basil Thai

Joy P. Turner

Management Intern, Chillfire Bar & Grill in Denver, NC (She graduates at the end of this month!)

Cover photo via the Johnson and Wales Facebook page