← press kit
press · 01 / 02
whereischefjason.com · press@whereischefjason.com
where is chef jason?
press one-pager · updated 2026
◆ chef · founder · on the road

jason mckinney.

French Laundry alum. Truffle Shuffle founder. Shark Tank (S12). Currently on a 14-country tour before opening Restaurant Elizabeth — NYC, 2027.
Jason McKinney.
jason.
◆ the bio · 120 words

Jason McKinney trained at Sea Island before five years at The French Laundry under Thomas Keller — commis to sous, with the Core Award in hand. He staged at Maison Pic (3★), Frenchie, and Gaggan.

In 2020 he co-founded Truffle Shuffle, a pandemic-born virtual cooking platform. Shark Tank S12 closed a deal with Mark Cuban in 2021; by 2022 the company was doing $13.3M annually. ButcherBox acquired it in 2023 — their first all-cash acquisition.

He is now on the Elizabeth World Tour — 14 countries, 383 days, every stage documented — before opening Restaurant Elizabeth in NYC in 2027.

"The exit bought me freedom. This chapter is about focus." — jason mckinney
◆ the numbers
5 yrs
french laundry
commis → sous
keller years
$501K
mark cuban · 18%
shark tank s12
deal · 2021
$13.3M
truffle shuffle
annual sales
at acquisition
14
countries · 383 days
~20 career stars
tour · in progress
◆ as seen in
ABC NBC Forbes Eater Haute Living Tasting Table Sonoma Magazine
◆ contact
press & media
press@whereischefjason.com
brand partnerships
partnerships@whereischefjason.com
◆ the arc · 2013 → 2027
2013
joins The French Laundry as commis.
2016
promoted to sous chef. receives Core Award.
2018
stages at Maison Pic (3★), Frenchie, Gaggan.
2020
co-founds Truffle Shuffle. first class from a garage.
2021
Shark Tank S12 — $501K deal with Mark Cuban.
2022
Truffle Shuffle hits $13.3M in annual sales.
2023
ButcherBox acquires Truffle Shuffle. all-cash.
2025
begins the Elizabeth World Tour · thailand.
2026
currently filming in mexico. next: argentina.
2027
Restaurant Elizabeth opens. 14 seats. NYC.
press · 02 / 02
whereischefjason.com · press@whereischefjason.com
where is chef jason?
the tour · the restaurant · the ask
◆ the elizabeth world tour

14 countries. one reason.

Not a tasting tour. Not a vacation. A working pre-production for the restaurant he is about to open. Every kitchen is research.
◆ itinerary · 383 days · in progress
jun 2025
Thailand
Bangkok. Two-month stage at Gaggan.
complete
sep 2025
India
Hyderabad + Pune. 200+ covers across pop-ups.
complete
nov 2025
Indonesia
Sumba. Chef in residence at Cap Karoso.
complete
dec 2025
China
Regional technique, no menu. The oldest kitchen on tour.
complete
jan 2026
Japan
Sola, Cire, Florilège (★★). Tea residency.
complete
mar 2026
Mexico
Arca, Alcalde, 17-day residency at Casa Moelle.
● filming
apr→
Argentina → Kenya → France → Sweden → USA
Niño Gordo · Angama Mara · Mirazur · Frantzén (★★★) · Home.
next
◆ the restaurant · nyc · 2027

restaurant elizabeth.

Named for his grandmother — who taught him to cook pancakes at four. Fourteen seats. One room. Michelin-targeted. Every technique on the menu has a location on the tour.
14
seats
1
room
NYC
location
2027
opening
target
1
chef
◆ can speak to
  • Inside The French Laundry — the Keller method.
  • Founding, scaling, and selling a food startup (Shark Tank → exit).
  • The economics of opening a Michelin-targeted restaurant in 2027.
  • Building an audience as a chef — YouTube, Substack, IG.
  • The craft: regional cuisines, stages, and what you can't learn from books.
◆ contact
press & media
Jason McKinney — answers personally
brand partnerships
partnerships team
follow along
@whereischefjason · YouTube · Substack · IG
if you're writing about the next generation of American fine dining —
this is the story.