Juan Juarez

Nizza

Originally from Puebla, Mexico, Chef Juan moved to New York in 1986 to join his father, who was already embedded in the Manhattan restaurant scene. He began his culinary career at Saloon Restaurant in Philadelphia, honing his craft under the mentorship of acclaimed chefs including Alex Rodriguez, Aarón Sánchez and Joseph Realmuto.

Chef Juan found a home on Long Island, joining the team at Nick & Toni’s Café in East Hampton as sous chef, then chef de cuisine, where he led the team for 10 years. In 2019, he was asked by the same group to help develop a new Mexican concept, Coche Comedor. He jumped at the opportunity to bring his knowledge of authentic Mexican cuisine to the Hamptons, with recipes inspired by his mother and mother-in-law. During his time running Coche Comedor, Chef Juan delighted in growing his own fresh ingredients, from tomatillos to jicama, cilantro and ají amarillo chili peppers.

In 2023, after several busy and happy years getting Coche Comedor off the ground, Chef Juan relocated back to New York City to be closer to his family. As Executive Chef at Nizza, he brings with him years of experience building a good team, and a focus on creating an environment that makes people happy to come to work.

In his spare time, Chef Juan enjoys spending time with his family, traveling home to Mexico and cooking his favorite traditional recipes. He is especially proud of his classic Oaxacan mole, a complex dish made with more than 25 ingredients.