Chef Jesse Barber is a classically trained cook with a practical, ingredient-driven approach shaped by years of real restaurant, event, and leadership experience. His cooking is rooted in French technique, guided by seasonality, and defined by restraint — food that feels thoughtful, familiar, and deeply satisfying without being overworked or precious.

After moving from Portland to Los Angeles in 2009, Jesse opened The Tasting Kitchen in Venice as Chef de Cuisine, helping build the restaurant from the ground up alongside a small team of friends and young professionals. Through long days, late nights, and a shared commitment to craft, the team helped shape the restaurant into a nationally recognized destination, earning GQ Magazine’s Top 10 Restaurants in America and multiple James Beard Award nominations.

Following The Tasting Kitchen, Jesse shifted toward a more independent and wide-ranging path — cooking fundraiser dinners, private events, pop-ups, and corporate gatherings across the country. This period sharpened not just his food, but his ability to plan, execute, and lead in constantly changing environments. His work has included collaborations with organizations and brands such as Architecture for Humanity, Summit Series, Kitchit, Outstanding in the Field, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Trefethen Winery.

Over the last decade, Jesse’s focus has expanded beyond the plate. He has held senior culinary leadership roles overseeing multiple restaurants, teams, and menus, with hands-on responsibility for food quality, systems, training, and operations. Through Medium Fine, his consulting and events platform, Jesse works with restaurants, private clients, and hospitality teams to build food programs that are disciplined, sustainable, and grounded in reality — not trends.

Jesse’s background includes time cooking under Thomas Keller at Bouchon Bistro and The French Laundry, as well as formative years in Portland kitchens, including Clark Lewis. While his foundation is French and Italian, his cooking is influenced by Japanese cuisine and a lifelong respect for technique, simplicity, and balance.

At the core of Jesse’s work is a farm-forward mindset and a belief that good food starts with good sourcing, clear thinking, and people who care. Whether cooking for a private dinner, leading a kitchen team, or building systems behind the scenes, his goal is always the same: food that makes sense, teams that feel supported, and experiences that feel effortless for the guest.