Steve Johnson | Chef & Owner

Steve Johnson has been a fixture in the Boston restaurant scene for over 20 years.  He opened Rendezvous in Central Square in late 2005, and the restaurant 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.

Prior to Rendezvous, 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.  Over the years as well, Steve has written about food and food policy for a variety of major publications.

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

Photo of  Steve Johnson by Susan Young.