I bring forward-thinking Southwest and Southern cooking to your table, backed by 30 years of hands-on kitchen experience.

John Phelps

I create bold, comforting meals that look incredible, taste unforgettable, and make people genuinely happy at the table.

I’m an award-winning chef with 30 years of experience, and my style is rooted in Southwest and Southern flavors. I’ve cooked in hundreds of kitchens, starting as a chef-for-hire in Denver before relocating to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and working my way across the Gulf Coast.

Today I’m based near Panama City, Florida, and I currently cook at The Bay, preparing food for guests to enjoy. When I’m off the clock, I love cooking for friends—and I bring that same warm, personal energy to every menu I serve.

Let’s plan your meal

My secret is no secret at all: I make great food that people want to eat.

What you can expect when I cook for you

I focus on the full experience

For me, cooking is important: I want the food to look amazing, taste amazing, and leave you loving the meal.

I’m built on real kitchen training

I learned to cook from Chef Salinda Witervongle in Denver through two years of on-the-job training that shaped my fundamentals. And I truly believe I never stop learning.

My philosophy is simple and honest

My approach in the kitchen is straightforward: I cook great food that people actually want to eat, and I keep every dish centered on pleasure and satisfaction.

John’s Menus

I offer curated multi-course menus and convenient options designed for sharing, celebrating, and enjoying bold, satisfying flavors—always cooked with care and attention to how it looks and tastes.

Request a menu

Stories and testimonials

We had a great meal. We will definitely be using Chef John again.

Coral

Great experience. This is our second time getting this chef. It won’t be our last.

Matt Lloyd

Chef John delivered an incredible meal and last evening experience. The lobster ravioli and filet were incredible and the bread… crave able... Highly recommend.

Shalise DeMott

Chef John made our vacation! This is our first experience using a chef for an entire week of vacation for our growing family, and it did not disappoint! John created an incredible menu of breakfasts, lunch and dinners. He was flexible when we asked to have meals at a certain time to coincide with our grandchildren’s naps and bedtimes. He was sensitive to certain food sensitivities and quickly dialed into our preferences. He engaged with everyone and we enjoyed learning his approach to creating wonderful meals. We all agreed, having Chef John was the best experience of our vacation. Well Done!!!

Tom Doyal

Chef John was a joy to work with. He put together a menu that addressed food allergies. As a special occasion he went out of his way to make the experience a special one. Highly recommend!

Inez evans

John was amazing. Each dish was introduced with an explanation and beautiful presentation and was more delicious than it looked. He was absolutely the THE BEST!

Paula S. Thompson

My husband and I celebrated our anniversary by eating one of the best meals we’ve ever had, by Chef John. He was on time, kind, pleasant, and the food was AMAZING. I highly highly recommend.

Cailen Medcraft

Great service.

Nirav Sheth

Chef John was very professional and accommodating. We appreciated his fact of the matter demeanor. He has the perfect balance of personability and discretion. My boss was absolutely satisfied as were we! I will definitely consider using this services to gift someone in the future. We also appreciate the menu accommodations as well as scheduling. We realize booking a week before and paying 3-4 days before is kind of sketchy but it was a last minute decision and it truly worked out perfect for us!! Thank you take a chef!! ????????????

Chloe sonnier

Chef John Phelps was on time, on top of our needs, prepared great food, and allowed the party to flow. Great experience for 26 on Pensacola Beach

Tom Keiser