MEET THE CHEF
John Fraser
John Fraser is the Founder, Chef, and Restaurateur of JF Restaurants, leading the culinary vision across 15+ distinct concepts. Proudly calling New York City home, Fraser’s concepts span the East Coast with a collection of dynamic restaurant and bar destinations. His New York portfolio includes The Terrace & Outdoor Gardens, an American brasserie, Lobby Bar, and Paradise Club inside The Times Square EDITION (2019). He later revitalized the iconic North Fork Table & Inn (2020) on Long Island’s East End and opened French brasserie La Marchande and cocktail bar Lounge on Pearl at The Wall Street Hotel (2022). Fraser also oversees the culinary program at Casa Cruz (2024), bringing a New American menu to the Beaux-Arts townhouse on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, and in 2025 launched Obvio, an agave-forward cocktail lounge and bar. Later this year, Fraser will open Ondîne, a chef-driven, French bistro in Manhattan’s West Village.
Beyond the tristate area, Fraser and his team lead four culinary concepts within The Tampa EDITION (2022), including Michelin-recognized Lilac alongside three additional restaurants and bars: Azure, Market, and Lobby Bar; and Hamlin House, a members-only sports and social club featuring a signature restaurant, all-day café, and courtside dining located in Orlando. In Boston, in partnership with Winthrop Center, Fraser opened The Lineup (2024), a curated food hall in Downtown Boston, and oversees the exclusive dining program at The Residences at Winthrop Center. The group also debuted Vermilion (2024), a modern chophouse and cocktail bar.
Born and 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 (JFR), based in New York City.
Fraser’s work has earned sustained national acclaim. At Dovetail, he was awarded three stars from The New York Times and maintained a Michelin star for eight consecutive years, an exceptional tenure in New York fine dining. He later earned a Michelin star and a two-star rating from The New York Times at NIX. Across his portfolio, Fraser’s concepts have received Wine Spectator’s “Award of Excellence” distinctions, as well as being included in Esquire’s “Best New Restaurants in America” list. He has been named a James Beard Foundation Awards semifinalist, and in both 2023 and 2024, was recognized on the Observer’s Nightlife + Dining Power List as one of the “Most Important People in Hospitality,” underscoring his continued influence on the national dining landscape.
