Chefs Against Hunger
Chef and Owner John Fraser
Chef/Owner John Fraser
CHEF JOHN FRASER
Chef /Owner, JF Restaurants
Restaurateur and Chef John Fraser made his mark on the culinary landscape by redefining the role of vegetables in American cuisine, from imaginative fine dining destinations to sentimental neighborhood restaurants. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Fraser still draws inspiration from the nostalgia of comfort food and neighborhood bars he grew up around in California. In 2007, he went from chef to restaurateur with a vision to create the entire hospitality experience founding his own collaborative and creative hospitality group, JF Restaurants (JFR), based in New York City.
Fraser is renown for his groundbreaking creativity, as seen in projects like the decade-old critically acclaimed Dovetail (2007), collaborative openings–including Narcissa (2014) and the Standard Café (2014), and Greenwich Village establishments–Michelin-starred vegetarian restaurant NIX (2016) and American tavern The Loyal (2017).
Current concepts in New York include, The Terrace & Outdoor Gardens and 701 West, and two bars–The Lobby Bar and Paradise Club–inside The Times Square EDITION (2019). Fraser revitalized and reopened North Fork Table & Inn (2020), an East End institution on the North Fork of Long Island. Other New York City concepts include IRIS (2021), inspired by Fraser’s Greek heritage and admiration for Turkish cuisine, and French brasserie La Marchande at The Wall Street Hotel (2022). Fraser also oversees the culinary program at Casa Cruz (2024), bringing a New American menu to the Beaux-Arts townhouse on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Most recently, he launched Obvio (2025), a cocktail lounge and bar born from the collaboration between Santa Cruz Co. and JF Restaurants.
Beyond the tristate area, Fraser and his team are behind the four culinary concepts inside The Tampa EDITION (2022), including the Michelin-starred Mediterranean restaurant Lilac in addition to three restaurants and bars. In partnership with Winthrop Center in Boston, Fraser opened The Lineup (2024), a curated food hall in Downtown Boston. JFR also leads the exclusive dining program at The Residences at Winthrop Center and opened The Vermilion Club (2024), a new modernized chophouse and bar serving as the restaurant group’s first full-service restaurant in Boston.
Fraser has garnered numerous culinary accolades throughout his career. He achieved a remarkable eight consecutive years of Michelin star recognition at Dovetail, followed by another Michelin star at NIX. Most recently, the team earned yet another Michelin Star and the prestigious Service Award at Lilac. Dovetail And 701 West were both bestowed an exceptional three stars by The New York Times, while NIX, The Loyal, and Narcissa received a notable two stars. IRIS has been noted as a “Critic’s Pick” by The New York Times’ esteemed former food critic, Pete Wells, who also ranked it as the seventh-best new restaurant in New York City in 2021, and the 55th-best in New York City in 2023. Esquire Magazine also recognized IRIS as the thirteenth-best new restaurant in the United States in 2021.