Rendezvous opened in November 2005 on the site of a former Burger King in Central Square in Cambridge, MA.  The 85-seat restaurant offers Western Mediterranean- inspired cuisine (French, Italian, Spanish and North African).  The approach to the cooking displays chef/owner Steve Johnson’s longtime passion for sourcing top-quality local ingredients and giving them his own personal twist.  The menu is updated once a month.

The wine list, presented by GM Nicole Bernier, is updated weekly and features many small producers mainly from Europe and California.  Daily wine specials are offered by the glass, carafe and bottle. 

The restaurant also has a full bar with an ever-changing list of specialty cocktails created by bar manager, Brian Ayer.

Rendezvous recently received Boston Magazine's top honors for "Best Restaurant Début" in its August 2006 issue.

Owner and Executive Chef:  Steve Johnson

Steve Johnson has been a fixture in the Boston restaurant scene for nearly 20 years.  He opened Rendezvous in Central Square in late 2005, and the restaurant has quickly received unanimous positive praise from the local food media, including Boston Magazine's top honors for "Best Restaurant Début" in its August 2006 issue.

Steve Johnson was the chef and co-owner of The Blue Room from 1996-2003.  During Steve’s tenure there, the restaurant was warmly received by the dining public and quickly garnered very favorable reviews by the local and national press.  In its August 1998 issue, Boston Magazine named Steve “Best Chef” in the Boston area.  In 2001 Steve was again named by Boston Magazine as Best Chef in the Boston area and was a nominee for the James Beard Foundation award for Best Chef in the Northeast. 

Beginning in 1976, Mr. Johnson spent 3 years in southern France (Montpellier), where he received his introduction to French food and wine, and to the flavors and feel of Western Mediterranean cooking.  Back in the states afterward, Mr. Johnson came up through the ranks in bakeries and restaurant kitchens, having held cooking jobs in several states around the country.  In !988 Steve moved to Boston and began working as a line cook at Hamersley’s Bistro, consistently rated as one of Boston’s premier restaurants.  Two years later, Steve was promoted to sous-chef and stayed on in that position for another four years.

From 1994-1996, Mr. Johnson was the chef at Mercury Bar, an international tapas bar and restaurant located on the Boston Common.  In its August 1995 issue, Boston Magazine named Mercury Bar “Best Tapas Bar” in the Boston area.

In 1993, Mr. Johnson was one of the principle organizers for the Boston chapter of the CHEFS Collaborative 2000, a national network of chef/activists that concentrates on political issues related to food.  He continues to be an industry leader in agricultural issues and in restaurant chefs’ support of the region’s farmers and fishermen.  Steve also frequently writes about food for magazines such as Gourmet, Fine Cooking, Boston Magazine & Cook’s Illustrated.  Steve serves on the Board of Directors for the Cambridge Office of Tourism.

Education:
B.A., French Language & Literature, Davidson College (North Carolina) 1978
D.E.U.G., French Language, Université Paul Valéry, (Montpellier, France) ‘79

Nicole Bernier, a New Hampshire native who grew up on a gentleman’s farm, has been in food service in the area for 12 years working both back of the house and front of the house positions, and most recently was the manager at Craigie Street Bistrot in Cambridge. Nicole is also a very talented jeweler.