An American chef with a Saint Lucian connection is a contestant on the 23rd season of the hit Bravo television show, Top Chef. Jonathan Dearden, along with identical twin Brandon, is in contention for a $250,000 cash prize, a feature in Food & Wine magazine, and a number of other awards. Dearden, who hails from Sterling, Virginia, just outside of Washington, DC, previously worked at award-winning Soufriere resort, Jade Mountain.
In a social media post, Karolin Troubetzkoy, executive director of Anse Chastanet and Jade Mountain, said: “We were so excited to see that Chef Jonathan Dearden, one of the early Executive Chefs at Jade Mountain, is competing on the new season of Top Chef, together with his twin brother!
“Jonathan brought enormous creativity, passion, and energy to our kitchens during his time in Saint Lucia, helping shape the vibrant culinary spirit that continues to define the dining experiences at Jade Mountain and Anse Chastanet today.
“It is wonderful to see his talent now shining on such an international stage. All of us here are cheering loudly and wishing Jonathan and his brother the very best of luck in the competition. Once part of the family, always part of the family.”
During Dearden’s time in charge of the kitchen at Jade Mountain, between 2008 and 2014, Travel + Leisure Magazine named it the top resort in the Caribbean, and third-best resort in the world. For his part, he credits Jade Mountain with playing a huge role in his career.
“I moved to the Caribbean with the intention of being a Chef de Cuisine, but I was promoted to Executive Chef of Jade Mountain in Saint Lucia, it’s a beautiful resort,” said Dearden. “That catapulted my career. I was an Executive Chef for 18 years, and now I’m a Corporate Chef.”
Dearden became known for his farm-to-table “Jade Cuisine,” using produce from the resort’s organic farm. He is a “Chopped” finalist and “Beat Bobby Flay” contestant, and since 2023, he has been Corporate Chef at KNEAD Hospitality + Design in Washington, DC.
Previously on Top Chef, Saint Lucia’s Nina Compton was a runner-up on Season 11, Top Chef: New Orleans and was voted fan favourite by viewers. She opened her first restaurant, Compère Lapin, in New Orleans in 2015, and her second, Bywater American Bistro, in 2018.
The first episode of Season 23 debuted on Bravo last Monday, March 9. Filmed in the Carolinas, Top Chef will air at 9:30 p.m. on Mondays on Bravo, with recordings available through Bravo and the Peacock streaming service.
