Jean-Robert French Restaurant Group

Brian Firth

Manager, JeanRo Bistro

Brian’s mastery of both Culinary Arts and Fine Arts make him an ideal Assistant General Manager at JeanRo Bistro. Originally from Chicago, Brian spent part of his life in Cincinnati before attending Bowling Green State University for Fine Arts and then studying at Le Cordon Blue Culinary Arts in Pittsburgh. He had various positions in both fields before bringing his love of this business and ideals of “hipness” to JeanRo.

Bryant Phillips

Manager, Chalk Food + Wine

Cincinnati Native, Bryant Phillips, joins the team at Pho Paris after three years as Service and Wine Director at Sturkey’s Restaurant. While at Sturkey’s, the restaurant received three consistent top-ten ratings in the Cincinnati Magazine Top 25 Restaurants as well as three consecutive “Awards of Excellence” from the Wine Spectator. Personally, Bryant received “Waitstaff we love. . . and would love to take home with us if we could” for Sommelier at Sturkey’s from Cincinnati Magazine in 2007. A wine and food connoisseur at heart, Bryant is currently enrolled in the Course of Master Sommeliers program.

Christopher Burns

Chef de Cuisine, JeanRo Bistro

A Cincinnati native and graduate of culinary arts from Scarlet Oaks and Sullivan University, Chris keeps the wheels turning as chef of one of Cincinnati’s most popular establishments–JeanRo Bistro. He takes great pride in serving wonderful dishes that delight and invigorate the culture of his home town.

Drew Hester

Manager, Currents

Drew has been in the hospitality industry most of his life, starting in restaurant service at a young age before moving to the hotel industry. He mastered his fine dining skills at the Banker’s Club and later at Maisonette, which he served for over 8 years in various positions.

Drew is a long-time friend and team member of the Jean-Robert Restaurant Group. He has used his vast experience as Maitre d’ and General Manager of Jean-Robert’s Pho Paris and is now the Catering Manager focusing on planning and orchestrating private events at the Currents Ballroom, located in the Newport Aquarium.

Jared Whalen

Chef de Cuisine, Chalk Food + Wine 

While working as a cook at a chic restaurant in Oxford, OH, Jared was encouraged by the chef to pursue his talents and attend culinary school. He followed this suggestion and graduated from the New England Culinary Institute, then refined his skills working in Scottsdale, Arizona.In 2000, Jared left Arizona to return to his hometown of Cincinnati to begin as a line cook with Jean-Robert de Cavel. It was there that Whalen further developed his culinary know-how and after two years went on to work at The Palace in the Cincinnatian Hotel. In August of 2002, Jared rejoined Jean-Robert to become a junior sous chef at Jean-Robert at Pigall’s.After two years at Pigall’s, Jared accepted the chef de cuisine position at Pho Paris. The French-Vietnamese menu is innovative with strict attention to detail and technique… the perfect match to Jared’s creative approach to cooking

Jean Philippe Solnom

Chef de Chocolat, Cuisine by Jean-Robert

Jean-Philippe grew up in near Vichy, France and studied pastry at the Centre de Formation Apprentissage de Patisserie in France for four years. He then began specialization in chocolate at Lacoba in Lausanne, Switzerland where he studied for another four years.

While studying at Lacoba he began working at Chocolatier Mertzeisen in Vichy. There he specialized in the formulation of ganache flavors. While at Mertzeisen, Jean-Philippe received the 2nd place award at the Salon du Chocolat in Paris and had the honor of working with Robert Linxe, creator of La Maison du Chocolat for instruction in ganache formulation.

Jean-Philippe found himself in the United States in November, 2001 after Mertzeisen closed due to the sudden death of the owner. He worked for three years as a pastry Chef for Le Cezanne in Wyoming. As the manager of pastry for the Jean-Robert French Restaurant Group, JP has been an instrumental part of the opening of Greenup Café in Covington and Cuisine by Jean-Robert.

Always looking for a challenge, Jean-Philippe has taken an innovative style to combining distinct flavors with his chocolate. He draws this inspiration from his mentors Michel Mertzeisen, Robert Linxe, and Jean Philippe Maury.

Jill Ruschulte

Chef de Cuisine, Greenup Café

Jill is proud to be considered a fine chef and visual artist. While obtaining her Bachelors of Fine Art at Northern Kentucky University first starting working at The Boot Restaurant. Jill continued mastering her culinary skills at such esteemed Cincinnati restaurants as the York Street Café, Boca and Jean Robert at Pigall’s. Jill’s love of fresh products and simple, delicious ingredients display her gifts in the culinary arts as much as her skill in fine arts.

Justin Dean

Manager, Cuisine by Jean-Robert

Justin’s many years and varying careers in the hospitality industry have given him unique and well-crafted skills. He served both in front and back of the house at Maisonette, before his career as a private chef. He later owned and served as chef at Wildflour, a respected café that stood at the current Greenup Café location. Upon closing Wildflour, he joined the team to manage both Jean-Robet at Pigall’s and JeanRo Bistro in 2003. Justin has now moved to Cuisine by Jean-Robert.

Karen Crawford

Pastry Chef, Jean-Robert at Pigall’s

Karen discovered her love and talent for desserts at the age of 18 and promptly pursued a culinary degree at Vincennes University. After working at several restaurants in Southern Indiana, Karen began working at the five-star Maisonette in Cincinnati as pastry assistant to the pastry chef, Teri Quatkemeyer in June 1999. After three years, Crawford advanced to pastry chef when she joined the former chef d’ cuisine at the Maisonette, Jean-Robert de Cavel in the opening of his restaurant, Jean-Robert at Pigall’s.
Since coming to Jean-Robert at Pigall’s, Chef Crawford has been responsible for creating inventive pastries and desserts for her guests. In addition to her restaurant experience, Chef Crawford has taught pastry classes at Williams Sonoma and has had the honor of preparing dessert at the James Beard House.  With Jean-Robert de Cavel, Karen has cooked for many charity events throughout Cincinnati and Columbus. In 2004, Crawford’s signature dessert at Pigall’s the Milk Chocolate and Macadamia Truffle Tart was featured on the cover of Cincinnati Magazine’s “Best Restaurant’s” issue.

Raymond Gordo

Chef de Cuisine, Cuisine by Jean-Robert 

Raymond has over fifteen years in the restaurant business; working in some of Cincinnati’s most esteemed establishments. He has been with the JRFRG team since 2004, served as Sous Chef at Pho Paris and now has become the chef of Cuisine by Jean-Robert currently featured at Currents at the Newport Aquarium.

Richard Brown

Maitre d’, Jean-Robert at Pigall’s

Richard has one of the most recognizable faces of fine dining in Cincinnati. His illustrious career began at the original Pigall’s French Restaurant where he was a server. He carried that position over to Maisonette where he worked his way up to Maitre d’Hôtel.  In 2000, he went to work for The Palace Restaurant at the Cincinnati Hotel, before finding his way back home to Jean-Robert at Pigall’s in 2002.

Summer Genetti

Pastry Chef, Chalk Food + Wine

Summer makes chocolate chip cookies, devil’s food cake without frosting and key lime tarts at home, but what she offers you at Pho Paris is so much more.Summer’s culinary career started outside of the kitchen, until she got a chance to fill in as a pastry chef and was hooked. She has worked as sous chef and pastry chef, at one time creating desserts for the Bistro at Harper’s Point, Tink’s, the Quarter Bistro and Sugar & Spice. She has drawn great influence from Cincinnati chef Jimmy Gherardhi and her husband Chef Greg Genetti, as well as pastry chefs Karen Crawford of Jean-Robert at Pigall’s, Teri Quatkemeyer formerly of Maisonette, Noreen Nagao of The Palace Restaurant, Sam Mason of Soho, New York’s Tailor Restaurant, and Food Network’s Gale Gand.