Antonio H. Perez

Chef de Cuisine

Antonio Hector Perez was born in San Antonio, Texas, but spent most of his childhood in Sharpsburg, Georgia, where he was raised by his Italian mother and Mexican father. By the time he was nine years old, he had already developed a passion for cooking and was known as the "tortilla flipper" of the family. Growing up, he learned to cook traditional Mexican and Italian dishes, giving him a diverse culinary background.

Perez got his first job as a line cook at a local chicken wing and grill restaurant in Georgia when he was just 15 years old. It was there that he discovered his true calling and decided to pursue a career in culinary arts. In his senior year of high school, he attended West Georgia Technical College for culinary school and continued for another two years, where he won the Georgia state culinary competition called SkillsUSA,  earning a scholarship to attend the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. He then went on to complete an eight-month internship at DBGB Kitchen and Bar, a famous Daniel Boulud restaurant in New York City.

After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in 2013, Perez moved back to San Antonio, Texas, where he worked as a sous chef for the Zach Brown Band, touring with them for over two years and traveling to more than 200 cities in the US, Canada, and Mexico with a team of private chefs. Later, he worked as a tour chef for Luke Bryan before moving to Atlanta to run a handmade pasta production facility and work as a sous chef at the Basque.

In 2018, Perez moved to the Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao to work at Kome, a modern Caribbean restaurant celebrated for its chef-driven, locally-sourced cuisine. He spent three years immersing himself in the culture of the island, becoming a certified scuba diver, and going deep-sea fishing.

In 2021, Perez moved to Asheville, a place he had always dreamed of living due to his love for backpacking and the mountains. He quickly became passionate about local farming, local ingredients, and community values, all of which aligned with his values as a chef. He frequently visits farmers' markets and socializes with locals to learn about farming conditions and new products. He strongly believes that a chef is a steward to the farmers and the land. He takes their hard work and turns it into delicious dishes for the community.

Perez began working at Jettie Rae's in June 2022 and quickly fell in love with the harmony of the staff and our motto of "honest food, done well." He brings his diverse culinary background and passion for local ingredients to Jettie Rae's, creating dishes that showcase his love for traditional Spanish cuisine while incorporating the flavors of the Appalachian mountains.