John Besh

John Besh is a chef and a native son dedicated to the culinary riches of southern Louisiana. In his restaurants, entrepreneurial pursuits, and public activities, he preserves and promotes ingredients, techniques, and heritage one mouth-watering dish at a time.

Besh grew up in southern Louisiana and has set the benchmark for fine dining in New Orleans - a town whose identity is bound to its food. His nineteen acclaimed restaurants and rooftop bar (August, Bayou Bar, Besh Steak, Borgne, Caribbean Room, Domenica, Johnny Sanchez New Orleans, Johnny Sanchez Baltimore, Hot Tin, Killebrew Coffee, L.A. Jackson, Luke, Luke San Antonio, La Provence, Marsh House, Pizza Domenica, Shaya, Silver Whistle Cafe, and Willa Jean) celebrate the bounty and traditions of the region.

From the outset of his career, Besh's talent and drive have earned him continuous kudos. In 2014, the James Beard Foundation inducted him into "Who's Who in Food & Beverage." Food & Wine named him one of the "Top 10 Best New Chefs in America," and he won the coveted James Beard Award for Best Chef of the Southeast in 2006. In 2009, he was awarded Food Arts' Silver Spoon Award for revitalizing the culinary legacy of New Orleans. His flagship restaurant, August, is a Gayot Top 40 Restaurant and a Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Restaurant, in addition to being a 2012 and 2013 James Beard Nominee for Outstanding National Restaurant (eligible only to restaurants open for ten years or more) and 2015 James Beard Nominee for Outstanding Service.

In August 2015 Besh welcomed the latest addition to the BRG family: Willa Jean Bakery. Willa Jean Bakery, a collaboration between BRG Executive Pastry Chef Kelly Fields and Pastry Chef Lisa White (of Domenica and PIZZA Domenica).

In January 2016, the BRG announced the acquisition of a space in New Orleans to house a new private events venue, dubbed Pigeon & Prince in honor of the space's previous incarnations as a pigeon roost and a bedsit for visiting royals. Executive Chef Erick Loos of La Provence is helming the culinary development for the space. Pigeon & Prince is expected to begin hosting events in late January.

In March 2016, the BRG announced the launch of One House Hospitality, a hotel food and beverage operations management division. The group aims to unite the front of house and back of house with one common goal: make every guest happy. Besh selected current COO of BRG, Emery Whalen, to be the CEO of OHH and current Executive Chef of Borgne Restaurant in New Orleans, Brian Landry, to be the Chef of OHH. For their initial endeavour, OHH is partnering with Commune Hotels & Resorts to develop three culinary concepts within the Thompson Nashville.

In conjunction with OHH, the BRG's exciting partnership with New Orleans' historic Pontchartrain Hotel resulted in a revamp and reopening of the iconic property in the summer of 2016. OHH operates the four food & beverage concepts located within the hotel, including the fine dining restaurant Caribbean Room, rooftop bar Hot Tin, watering hole Bayou Bar, and the hotel's coffee and pastry shop The Silver Whistle Cafe.

In Fall 2016, Chef Besh and OHH set their sights on the Music City and opened up three food & beverage properties within Nashville's new Thompson Nashville Hotel -- part of the aforementioned partnership with Commune Hotels & Resorts. Thompson Nashville includes the seafood-focused restaurant Marsh House, a coffee shop called Killebrew Coffee, and a new rooftop bar atop the hotel named L.A. Jackson.

Besh has authored four cookbooks: My New Orleans (October 2009) My Family Table (November 2011), Cooking from the Heart (November 2013) and most recently Besh Big Easy (September 2015) (Andrews McMeel Publishing). The books were recognized by John's peers and the culinary industry by being awarded the prestigious IACP Award in the American category (2010, My New Orleans) and the Children, Youth and Family category (2012, My Family Table), with a nomination in 2014 for Cooking from the Heart.