Jonathan benno biography

“Humility, passion, fortitude and creativity; tempered with a business sense. There are certainly others, but these are the ones that will sustain you.” Jonathan Benno on the qualities that make a great chef.

 Considered one of the top chefs in the country, Jonathan Benno has spent over 30 years honing his craft in some of the world’s finest restaurants, counting Michael Mina, Daniel Boulud, Tom Colicchio and Thomas Keller among his culinary mentors. 

Growing up surrounded by farms in rural Connecticut, Benno developed a strong appreciation for food and agriculture from an early age.

“My grandmother was the primary cook in the family.

Jonathan benno biography

She was of Italian descent and taught me respect for ingredients—that they taste best when you pick them yourself. I vividly remember her eggplant parmigiana, especially in the summer when she used eggplant from our garden.”

After high school, Benno moved to Hawaii where he lived and work for two and a half years.

He then