James Friedberg has been named Executive Chef at Le Jardinier and L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Miami, Florida. In his new role, Friedberg will oversee the culinary program at Le Jardinier in addition to building on his previous position as Chef de Cuisine at L’Atelier. He will work closely alongside Culinary Director Chef Alain Verzeroli to provide strategic direction to both culinary teams, maintaining the level of excellence for which Le Jardinier received 1 Michelin Star and L’Atelier received 2 Michelin Stars in Florida’s inaugural guide this year.
“I am extremely honored to join the culinary team at Le Jardinier Miami,” comments Friedberg. “Le Jardinier has made an indelible impact on the Miami dining scene and I look forward to building an even stronger future. I’m excited to create new signature dishes for the restaurant, but also keep the classics that our regulars know and love.”
Upon graduating from Pennsylvania State University with a bachelor’s degree in Hotel & Restaurant Management, James moved to New York City to attend The French Culinary Institute. It was there that he learned the foundation of French cuisine from legendary chefs including André Soltner and Jacques Pépin.
After finishing school, he began working at the iconic Le Cirque. During his 3-year tenure, he worked his way up to Saucier. After leaving Le Cirque in 2010, James joined the 2-Star Michelin GILT restaurant in the New York Palace hotel, where he became immersed in modern cooking. At age 28, he took the position of Chef de Cuisine at Aureole, Charlie Palmer’s flagship location in New York City. The restaurant maintained One Michelin Star during his four years there. After that, James went on to become Executive Chef at Blenheim, a West Village staple known for its innovative farm-to-table cuisine, where he learned the importance of locality and proper sourcing of ingredients.
Friedberg joined The Bastion Collection in 2018 as Chef de Cuisine of L’Atelier New York, eventually relocating to Miami. He strives to apply his background of classic French Cuisine while maintaining a strong responsibility towards sourcing and experimenting with non-traditional flavors. He is thrilled to expand his expertise and bring renewed energy to Le Jardinier, fortifying Chef Verzeroli’s culinary vision for the concept.
“Chef James makes a superb addition to Le Jardinier Miami,” says Chef Verzeroli. “I have been impressed with his leadership at L’Atelier and am very pleased to work more closely with him in this new role.”
