Jonathan Zaragoza

Chef Jonathan Zaragoza was raised on Chicago’s Southside by a tight-knit family with strong cooking roots. He recalls standing on a step stool, helping his mother stir eggs as a five-year-old.  At age 12, he began learning to make birria, roasted goat from Jalisco in a wood-fired oven built by his father and grandfather in the backyard of their home. His task was to start the fire, tending to it until the goat was ready to go in for its overnight roast. In 2007, Birrieria Zaragoza opened its doors giving Jonathan a platform to create and continue learning while diving headfirst into Chicago’s hospitality industry. From working at Sepia and Sixteen as a young cook, cutting his teeth on the Michelin circuit, to becoming the chef of Masa Azul at 22, Zaragoza’s culinary abilities have afforded him acclaim and the world as his kitchen. His path has taken him throughout Mexico, deep into its rich culinary heritage, to bring its traditions with him to London, Dubai, Paris, Australia and all across the US. Jonathan also cooked at Čálli and El Oso.