chef jeff mcinnis

Jeffrey McInnis was born to either fish or cook, and to this day, he would gladly do either. Born in Niceville, Florida (and yes, that is a real city in the Florida panhandle) in 1978, where waterfront property was not yet reserved for simply the elite, he was surrounded by the magic of the ocean. He grew up on fishing boats, bringing in only the freshest catch and by 16, he was peeling shrimp, cleaning squid, cutting fish and cooking on the line at The Marina Cafe. 

His passion for fresh local food was further inspired by his frequent trips and long southern summers spent with both sets of grandparents on their working Alabama farms. The newly coined restaurant term “farm to table” was more than an expression, but a reality for McInnis as a child. His grandparents only ate what they raised, from milking their own dairy cows and churning butter, to making their own blackberry jelly preserves from fresh picks of the day..  

He began his travels as Sous Chef at Asolare, a Caribbean-Asian restaurant in St. John,Virgin Islands. Next, in San Fransisco, McInnis worked at a fine dining Asian-French restaurant, Azie. While there, he learned Japanese cuisine from the sushi chefs, while at the same time polishing his french techniques. From San Francisco, McInnis moved to rural Virginia, where he worked at Keswick Hall, an exclusive 5-star hotel owned by the Orient Express.

In 2004, McInnis moved back to Florida and worked with famed Chef Norman Van Aken at Norman's in Miami. In 2006, he became Chef de Cuisine of The DiLido Beach Club at the Ritz Carlton. While there, McInnis traveled to North Africa and Europe where he studied other cultures' history, techniques and food and incorporated these experiences into creating a Southern Mediterranean and North African-inspired menu.

Shortly thereafter, McInnis was one of only 17 chefs selected nationwide to appear on the popular television show, Top Chef, putting McInnis and his talent front and center on a national stage. In 2010, McInnis became the Executive Chef for the Miami based restaurant, gigi. Utilizing his signature culinary style, McInnis developed a highly acclaimed menu, catapulting gigi into the limelight as one of Miami's most popular new restaurants.

With the tremendous success of gigi and more than twenty years of embracing and absorbing cuisines as a student of food, McInnis is returning to his true culinary roots and bringing a little taste of the south to Miami Beach. In March of 2011, McInnis left gigi to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a chef/ partner for a new Miami concept with an opening slated for Fall 2011.

>> Check out Jeff's Gallery Page for pictures and videos!