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Chef Jonathan Peters
Jonathan Peters may never have fulfilled his dream of becoming a chef if not for the dotcom bust of the early 2000s.
A relative latecomer to the professional cooking world, Peters worked in I.T. right out of college and was part of the dotcom boom of the late ‘90s. When that industry collapsed, he decided to leave the cubicle farm and follow his lifelong passion, enrolling in culinary school in Chicago. At night, he cooked in a late-night bar, working the kitchen by himself while learning the ins and outs of everything from food prep to washing dishes.
From those humble beginnings, this talented young chef has come a long way. Today, Peters is making a name for himself within LA’s famed culinary scene with his bold new twists on California and American cuisine at Chamberlain’s West Hollywood restaurant BISTRO.
Peters says his passion for gastronomic exploration was instilled while growing up in Texas.
“I always helped my mother with Christmas or Thanksgiving meals, and they weren’t typical,” Peters says. “We would make a giant pot of seafood and chicken gumbo instead of roasting a turkey. Years before it became popular, we were deep-frying turkeys, Cajun-style. We’d invite over everyone we knew, the more the merrier! The inspiration must have been that I loved cooking for others – and maybe showing off a little.”
Flash forward to culinary school in Chicago, where the quality of instruction left Peters unimpressed. He dropped out and enrolled at the Le Cordon Bleu in London, England. The difference was night and day: now he was studying under teachers who’d spent the bulk of their careers in establishments with multiple Michelin stars and who really had a passion for food and for teaching.
But for Peters, Le Cordon Bleu was only one reason to come to London in 2004. He was also drawn to the city’s gastropub movement, which was in full swing.
“You had chefs leaving the ultra-intense world of white linen fine dining restaurants to go to more easy-going atmospheres like a neighborhood pub, without sacrificing the quality of the food. This resonated with me a great deal.”
After school, Peters came to LA to work at Viceroy Santa Monica under celebrated chef Warren Schwartz.
“I learned a lot from Warren about having fun with food and presentations, contrasting flavors, and enlivening dishes without being overbearing with ingredients,” Peters says.
From there, he became Sous Chef at the Chamberlain West Hollywood hotel under Peter Gobin.
“Pete and I had a lot of fun together, making everything we could from scratch: curing our own meats, making terrines, pickling anything in sight. We collaborated on almost all the menu items, which taught me a lot about menu development.”
Next came a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work for world-renowned chef Alain Giraud at Anisette. Being a native of France, Giraud had a lot to teach about traditional French food, and Peters absorbed it all.
After stints at Church & State and Viceroy Santa Monica, he returned to Chamberlain to become Chef de Cuisine at one of the premier restaurants in West Hollywood, CA.
“Going forward here at the Chamberlain, my aim is to really cultivate and define my cooking style,” Peters says. “As I develop this kitchen and my team around me, I look forward to driving the food in a more exciting direction, without deviating too much from the simplicity I base my dishes upon.”
Peters re-imagined BISTRO’s menus to emphasize vibrant new flavor combinations that draw from time-honored favorites, such as risotto fritters; ceviche with orange, fennel, and celery; short ribs brazed in ale and served with glazed apples; and a signature hamburger featuring wild arugula, caramelized onions and smoked blue cheese.
“I am fiercely seasonal,” Peters says. “I go to the Hollywood farmer’s market almost every Sunday so I can see what is coming and going, seasonally, and plan my menu accordingly. It’s thrilling to cook with ingredients selected at the peak of their flavor. It makes a big difference in the final dishes. I’m excited to infuse these unique, locally sourced ingredients into my signature style of cooking.”
Peters lives in Hollywood. In his free time, he still enjoys spending all day cooking for 30 or 40 of his closest friends.
