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Chef Jason McKinney.

Biography, portraits, food, kitchen photography and selected work for editorial use, events and collaborations.

Download the full press kit ↓Portraits, food, team photography and bioPress inquiries →

Biography

Chef Jason McKinney.

Jason McKinney has nearly two decades of professional kitchen experience. He spent five years at The French Laundry and completed stages at Gaggan in Bangkok, Maison Pic in Valence and Frenchie in Paris. He later co-founded Truffle Shuffle, a cooking platform that secured a deal with Mark Cuban on Shark Tank and was acquired. He is now cooking around the world and documenting the journey as Where Is Chef Jason. The tour is preparation for Restaurant Elizabeth, a chef’s counter planned for New York City in 2027 and named after his mother.

For editorial use. Credit “Where Is Chef Jason” where a credit line is used.

Career + training

The work before the tour.

A concise professional background for editors, hotels and collaborators.

Early careerThe Balsams

Seasonal resort kitchen · Dixville Notch, New Hampshire

Five yearsThe French Laundry

Professional kitchen experience · Yountville, California

StageGaggan

Bangkok, Thailand

StageMaison Pic

Valence, France

StageFrenchie

Paris, France

Co-founderTruffle Shuffle

Cooking platform · Shark Tank deal · Acquired

Photography

Portraits.

High-resolution JPEGs for editorial coverage, events and announcements.

Chef Jason McKinney in a navy apron
Chef Jason McKinneyPortrait · JPEG · 3000 × 2001Download portrait ↓
Chef Jason McKinney in an editorial portrait
Chef Jason McKinneyEditorial portrait · JPEG · 3000 × 2001Download portrait ↓
Kitchen + food

The food comes first.

A selected collection from recent service and cooking around the world.

Chef Jason McKinney plating a dish during service at Creation Wines
Service at Creation WinesPhoto: Karen Winter Photography · JPEG · 1600 × 1067Download photo ↓
Chef Jason McKinney cooking with the Creation Wines kitchen team
Service at Creation WinesPhoto: Karen Winter Photography · JPEG · 1600 × 2400Download photo ↓
Chef Jason McKinney preparing dishes at Creation Wines
Service at Creation WinesPhoto: Karen Winter Photography · JPEG · 1600 × 2400Download photo ↓
A composed dish in a textured ceramic bowl
Aragma, PuneDish photograph · JPEG · 2400 × 3000Download photo ↓
A plated roll on a green leaf
Aragma, PuneDish photograph · JPEG · 2400 × 3000Download photo ↓
A crisp bite served in a ceramic bowl at Aragma
Aragma, PuneDish photograph · JPEG · 1600 × 2000Download photo ↓
A composed fish course served at dinner in Sumba
Cap KarosoDinner service · Sumba, IndonesiaDownload photo ↓
Dessert plates being finished for dinner at Few and Far Luvhondo
Few & Far LuvhondoDessert service · South AfricaDownload photo ↓
A plate of ceviche with corn and sweet potato in Peru
PeruCeviche · Tour food photographyDownload photo ↓
A whole grilled fish served at dinner in Sumba
Cap KarosoWhole fish · Sumba, IndonesiaDownload photo ↓
Team photography

With the teams.

I could not do this without the chefs and kitchen teams who open their doors and let me cook beside them.

Chef Jason McKinney being welcomed by the kitchen team at The Leela Hyderabad
The Leela HyderabadWith the kitchen team · IndiaDownload photo ↓
Chef Jason McKinney plating alongside a chef during service at Cap Karoso in Sumba
Cap KarosoService together · Sumba, IndonesiaDownload photo ↓
Chef Jason McKinney celebrating with the kitchen team at Kruger Shalati
Kruger ShalatiWith the kitchen team · South AfricaDownload photo ↓
Chef Jason McKinney standing with the Maido kitchen team in Lima
MaidoWith the kitchen team · Lima, PeruDownload photo ↓
Completed culinary collaborations

Made with good company.

Guest-chef work, kitchen exchanges and residencies completed during the 2026 tour. Future dates are intentionally not listed.

Tour photography

The field notes.

The working journey behind Restaurant Elizabeth, from the first kitchen in Thailand to recent service in South Africa.

Press contact.

jason@jointhecookingclub.com

For interviews, additional formats or print-resolution files.