Behind the Scenes

Executive Chef : Jouvens Jean

Talented, charismatic and determined, self-taught Jouvens Jean possesses a professional and personal background to impress most, with a slew of top-notch cooking gigs under his apron, and a line-up of respectable accolades – including winning Food Network’s Cut Throat Kitchen season 6, 2014 and also Food Network’s Chef Wanted season 13, 2013.

Born and raised in the Bahamas to Haitian parents, Jouvens spent his formidable years devouring seafood plucked straight from the turquoise waters of Nassau. Summers were spent sampling fresh conch salad on the beaches and working the ins and outs of local super markets and construction jobs with his father.In the summer 1993, his parents moved him almost 200 miles west to Miami, Florida for better opportunity and education. Jouvens began cultivating a deep interest in cooking, when a close friend, working at a local red sauce Italian restaurant, helped him land a job working under the table as a prep cook. For two years he kept his mouth close, eyes and ears open and learned the fundamentals of the kitchen. From 1997 - 1999, his career gathered momentum, first at Coco Pazo Café in South Miami, where he was named chef de partie at the young age of 19, and then at Kiss Café in Coconut Grove, where he held the title of sous chef.

Jouvens truly honed his craft after landing a position as chef tournant, overseeing all cooking stations at the famed Baleen restaurant at Grove Isle, where he served under esteemed chef Robin Haas until 2002. Eventually finding his way to Atrio at the Conrad Miami Hotel, a well-received Latin-Asian concept headed-up by acclaimed Executive Chef Michael Gilligan, Jouvens was appointed executive sous chef, leading the restaurant in culinary competitions as well as designing and executing a dinner at the famed James Beard House in New York City.

Amidst all of this growth and professional acumen, Jouvens attended Florida International University, where he also served as a teaching assistant in the school’s cooking classes. He had the prestigious opportunity to serve as an assistant culinary instructor in the study abroad program in Tianjin China at FIU-TUC (Tianjin University of Commerce). While at FIU he also served as a culinary coordinator for the South Beach Wine & Food Festival’s popular Bubble Q in 2007, and graduated with a B.A. in Hospitality and Tourism Management in 2008. In 2009, the W South Beach hotel selected Jouvens and appointed him the position of Executive Sous Chef of their brand new beachfront property.

Jouvens’s first break through roll came in 2010 where he was introduced to an innovative restaurateur Ramzi Zahr. The two automatically hit it off and Jouvens was offered the roll of Executive Chef/Partner at the dual concept, Mediterranean/Japanese Restaurant & Lounge, Sawa at Merrick Park in Coral Gables FL. Sawa was an instant hit and was well received by foodies and restaurant patrons for its daring fusion of concepts.

After numerous well-deserved awards and accolades and a very successful few years at Sawa, the young chef was once again struck with the opportunity to challenge him self by opening Starwood's luxury resort property, St. Regis Bal Harbour as the Chef de Cuisine of outlets in 2012. Jouvens was challenged with operating four of the resort's six food and beverage outlets, a challenge he gracefully conquered.

As the saying goes “home is where the heart is” so in 2015, Jouvens made a culinary pilgrimage to Haiti, back to his roots to do research for his up and coming book highlighting Haitian gastronomy. His book, Tap Tap Diaries, will be published in late 2019. In the midst of all of his culinary accomplishments Jouvens serves as a sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserves and won the 2017 Best Warrior Competition for his battalion.

In 2018, Jouvens had the honor of creating a dinner for the James Beard Foundation at the James Beard House in New York. Because of his well-established brand and reputation Jouvens was approached by Gloria and Emilio Estefan to be the consulting chef for their premier restaurant, Estefan Kitchen in mid 2018. In 2019, Jouvens returned "home" to Sawa to resume his position as the Executive Chef of two operating sister-locations and a third slated to open Q2 of 2019. Jouvens was awarded the 50 Most Powerful & Influential Black Business Leader of 2018. In early 2019, Jouvens was once again sought out by the Food Network to go head to head with Chef Bobby Flay on the popular Food Network Show Beat Bobby Flay.