2023 Chefs

Washington, DC

Born in Washington, D.C. and raised around Chicago, Chef Michael Hartzer returned to Washington in the late 1990’s to master classic French Technique under Chef Yannick Cam at Restaurant Provence. After joining the staff at Citronelle, he had a rapid ascension from Saucier to Executive Chef. During his tenure, the restaurant was consistently awarded 4 stars in the Washington Post and the Washingtonian Magazine, as well as top ratings from noted travel guides Zagat and Gayot. After a brief trip to South Carolina to open The Inn at Palmetto Bluff, Chef returned home to open the steak house Ray’s the Classics in Silver Spring. In 2008, he took over the kitchen at IndeBleu, quickly upgrading the restaurant and introducing D.C. to his interpretation of modern fusion, once again receiving high ratings from the Gayot International Dinning Guide. After a vibrant career that has included opportunities to work with such luminaries as Jean Louis Palladin, Thomas Keller, Jean Joho, Gunter Seeger, and Eric Ripert, Chef is thrilled to have created Jack Rose with longtime friends Bill Thomas and Stephan King. At Jack Rose Dining Saloon, one can sense the ties to the region, the Chef’s classic training, and the long history of the spirits that line the shelves.”