Jonathan Weiss

A native of Santa Monica, Chef Jonathan Weiss is a 3rd generation restaurateur, a foodie from birth. From the tender age of five, Chef Jonathan began with prep work for his grandfather on the daily grocery & meat selections at his family’s restaurant, the famed “Fox and Hounds”. By the age of 8, he utilized his culinary craftsmanship to prepare complete dinners for his family. “A recipe has no soul. You, as the cook, must bring soul to the recipe.” Following this mantra, Chef Jonathan parlayed his talent and creativity into a successful career as chef/founder of Big Mango Inc, a catering and culinary consulting company that just spun off a storefront in Playa Vista, CA, Big Mango Café.

Over his near four decades long career, Chef Jonathan has benefitted from working with the world’s most renowned culinary minds including chef Patrick Terrail at Ma Maison, Wolfgang Puck, Julia Child, Paul Bocuse (Culinary Institute’s Chef of the Century), Paul Prudhomme (celebrity chef of K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen and author), Jonathan Waxman (Bravo’s Top Chef Masters), Mark Peel and Nancy Silverton (LaBrea Bakery and Mozza), Susan Feniger of Border Grill and Bravo’s Top Chef Masters, among a slew of others.

Chef Jonathan is a husband, father, a successful businessman and restaurateur with an illustrious clientele of celebrities, sports teams, political luminaries, corporations and party-givers. Adding to the impressive list of credentials is that of advocate and a shining example for the deaf community. Recently featured on Deaf Nation with Joel Barrish on “No Barriers”, Chef Jonathan offers a glimpse into operating a busy kitchen, 2 successful businesses and several employees.

Propelled by his unbridled passion for food, Chef Jonathan claims “I’ve never met a meal I didn’t want to dig into”. This adventurous spirit drives him to constantly experiement, play and perfect everything that comes out of his kitchen to the customer. His instinct is to take the most simple recipes and apply his own culinary creativity, transforming a simple sandwich or salad into a new experience. Whether he’s sampling his fellow-chef’s creations at restuarants around this city, or just enjoying a meal with his wife and three children, his down-to-earth philosophy guides his approach to using only the freshest ingredients to bring out their natural flavors.

Chef Jonathan looks forward to cooking for you.