John Fraser
Restaurateur & 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 & 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, 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-star vegetarian restaurant NIX (2016) and American tavern The Loyal (2017) – both paused due to COVID-19.
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. Fraser’s newest restaurants 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).
Beyond the tristate area, Fraser and his team are behind Ardor – a showcase for vegetable-forward California cuisine – the signature restaurant at The West Hollywood EDITION (2020) and its rooftop counterpart The Roof. Inside The Tampa EDITION (2022) Fraser opened the signature fine-dining 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. JF Restaurants also leads the exclusive dining program at The Residences at Winthrop Center and will open a new restaurant (open to the public) in 2024.
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 three stars by the New York Times, while NIX, The Loyal, and Narcissa received a notable two stars. IRIS has been honored as the “critics’ choice” and hailed as the seventh-best restaurant in New York City by the New York Times. Esquire Magazine also recognized IRIS as the thirteenth-best restaurant in the United States. Furthermore, esteemed New York Times food critic Pete
Wells recently ranked IRIS as the 55th-best restaurant in New York City. Ardor, situated in West Hollywood, was named the number one best restaurant in the area by TimeOut Magazine.
