John Harris, Chef + Owner

This year, Chef John Harris and his staff at Lilette are celebrating the restaurant’s 20th year. Harris was included in Food and Wine magazine's list of America's Best New Chefs in 2002 and was named Best Chef New Orleans by New Orleans Magazine. He has been a James Beard finalist for the Best Chef South award four times (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012), and Lilette has been named among the top 10 best restaurant for five years by the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Harris began his passion for cooking growing up in the kitchen of his Italian mother. After working in restaurants during college, he couldn't resist the allure of cooking school. He attended the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute, which would lead him to stints at Café Allegro in Pittsburgh, and Spiaggia in Chicago. He moved to New Orleans to work as Sous Chef at Bayona in the French Quarter under famed Chef Susan Spicer. While there, Spicer offered him the opportunity to travel to France and apprentice at Amphyclese and Le Pre Catalin—both Michelin rated 2-star restaurants. During this time in France, he lived with the Mauri family, whose matriarch Lilette instilled in him a love of traditional French cooking. After returning to New Orleans, Harris became Executive Chef at Gautreau's Restaurant, then worked with Gerard Maras of Gerard's Downtown. In December of 2000, he fell in love with the intimate space at 3637 Magazine Street that would soon become Lilette.

In 2010, Harris brought another vision to stylish fruition with the opening of the much-acclaimed Bouligny Tavern. Located in a century-old New Orleans cottage adjacent to Lilette, Bouligny Tavern combines a sophisticated, mid-century modern vibe with a diverse offering of fine wines, classic cocktails, and high-end food service featuring a sumptuous small plates menu.