Jonathan Waxman

About

Jonathan Waxman (born 1950) is an American chef. He is credited with being one of the first chefs to bring the California cuisine movement to New York, fusing techniques from French cuisine with local ingredients.

Born in 1950, Waxman grew up near Berkeley, California. After graduating from the University of Nevada, Reno, he found work playing in bands at casinos and later with a rock band named “Lynx”.
Waxman eventually gave up his career as a trombonist to study at La Varenne cooking school in France. In 1979, he and restaurateur Michael McCarty opened Michael’s Restaurant in an old mansion near the Santa Monica beach; the groundbreaking cuisine attracted diners from all over America. Five years later, he opened Jams Restaurant on East 79th Street in New York; the chance to dine with what New York magazine called “an elder statesman of the new California cooking” made Jams the most sought after dining sensation of the season. His work at Jams made him a celebrity chef; “whoever said chefs in the 80’s were like rock-and-roll stars”, said one reviewer, “had Jonathan in mind.” Among other restaurants created by Waxman are Bud’s, Hulot’s, Jams of London, and Table 29….