Jonathan Black
Co-Owner & Executive Chef, Chez Noir
Carmel, California -
Born in the Bay Area and raised in Virginia, Chef Black was exposed to the diversity of regional, coastal American cuisines at a young age. He received a full scholarship to The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, graduating with honors in 2007. He then moved to New York City, where he strengthened his skills as an opening member of the team at Allen & Delancey and Corton, before transitioning to Chef de Partie at Per Se.
After six years in New York, Black spent three months staging in Europe at Noma, Relae, In de Wulf and The Clove Club. These experiences inspired the menu at Governor restaurant in Brooklyn, where Black stepped into his first Chef de Cuisine role. When the restaurant was, unexpectedly, destroyed by Hurricane Sandy, Black saw an opportunity to head west, joining the Quince team in San Francisco as Chef de Cuisine.
After three years in San Francisco, Black returned to the east coast, opening Pineapple & Pearls in Washington D.C. as Executive Sous Chef. He played a pivotal role in the menu design and concept, helping the restaurant earn two Michelin stars in its first year. Eventually, Black was drawn back to California by the opportunity to work alongside Dominique Crenn as her first ever Executive Chef. There, he oversaw culinary operations for Atelier Crenn, Petit Crenn and the opening of Bar Crenn—the first of which earned its third Michelin star during his tenure, while Bar Crenn earned its first.
In 2019, Chef Black relocated from San Francisco to the Monterey Bay, assuming the role of Executive Chef at Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur, California. With a vision for opening his own family-run restaurant in the tight knit community, he spent nearly two years observing the inner workings of the region’s dining culture and gaining an appreciation of the hyper-regional seafood and produce available throughout the Monterey Peninsula. In opening Chez Noir, he looks forward to sharing his passion for both modern European-influenced cuisine and California’s coastal bounty, blending technical expertise with a nuanced celebration of thoughtfully sourced raw ingredients.
