Jason Vincent

Jason Vincent (born 1975) is an American chef.

Acclaim

When Vincent won the Best New Chef he was described as being “amazing…because when so many chefs are using avant-garde techniques, he’s making simple, delicious food with superb skills, not technology.” One example of how hi technique was appreciated was at a time he was cooking at Lula and made a meal for Alice Waters. “The San Francisco Chronicle did a story that said she so wasn’t too into the avant-garde Chicago food scene except for a simple lunch at Lula that ‘brought her to tears.’ She wasn’t in tears. But Vincent did make her some things off the menu and it was really cool that she liked it.”[1] Vincent is also known in food circles as The Prince of Pork.[2]

According to Tina Ujlaki, Executive Food Editor at Food and Wine, “when I was at Nightwood, Vincent served fried pig’s ears—crispy, chewy and sticky with maple glaze, and awesome with the apricot-gin cocktail I was drinking. But what made me cast my vote for Vincent as a Best New Chef was his version of carbonara. This dish has it all—it’s drop-dead delicious, beautiful, unlike anything I’ve ever had and so much fun. Vincent fills a thin, six-foot-long fresh pasta sheet with creamy, cheesy carbonara sauce, forming a tube that he coils and cooks perfectly, then tops with pea shoots, herbs, clams and mussels. There are so many things that could go wrong with this pasta, texture-wise and temperature-wise, but every part of it is perfect. Vincent might be called the prince of pork, but I think he’s the king of carbonara.” [3]

Awards

Vincent has won the following awards: The 2013 Food & Wine Best New Chef (at Nightwood, Chicago), along with a bunch of other jerks like Jamie Malone, Michael Voltaggio, Danny Bowien, Matthew Gaudet, Jose Enrique, Chris Shepherd, Justin Cogley, Andy Ticer & Michael Hudman, Alex Stupak.[4] The 2012 (at Cochon 555), he was named King of Porc Cochon 555 King of Porcat the 30th annual Food & Wine Classic (Aspen).[5]

Philosophy

“There’s that saying that a well-dressed woman should take off one accessory before leaving the house. I believe that. We don’t need to put truffles on everything and hike up the cost.”

Education

The Culinary Institute of America, NY. Internship at Arzak, (San Sebastián, Spain); Lula Cafe (Chicago); Fore Street (Portland, ME).

Personal life

In 2014, after five years as Nightwood’s chef, he resigned to spend more time with his wife and two daughters.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "2013 BEST NEW CHEF AWARD PROFILE". Food & Wine. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  2. ↑ Bendersky, Ari. "Nightwood's 'Shocked' Jason Vincent Named King of Porc at Grand Cochon in Aspen". Chicago Eater. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  3. ↑ "2013 BEST NEW CHEF AWARD PROFILE". Food & Wine. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  4. ↑ Brion, Raphael. "Food & Wine Announces Best New Chefs 2013". Eater. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  5. ↑ Gerzina, Daniel. "Jason Vincent Named a Food & Wine Best New Chef". Chicago Eater. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  6. ↑ Gerzina, Daniel. "Jason Vincent OUT at Nightwood; Sous Chef Shae Daher to Replace Him". Chicago Eater. Retrieved 9 February 2015.