Executive Chef/Partner Tom Gray

Although it might seem that Tom Gray wears only one hat at Bistro Aix, a black beret emblazoned with the restaurant's logo, it soon becomes apparent that throughout his workday he changes hats many times. As executive chef and managing partner of Bistro Aix, he fills his workweek with a wide range of activities, yet most nights one can still find him in the kitchen, the place he most loves to be. Gray is, in fact, the embodiment of a modern chef: part culinary artist, part businessman, always a professional. One thing is certain however, that no matter which hat Gray wears, he is one of the main ingredients to the success of Bistro Aix.

Gray's achievements at Bistro Aix were more than 15 years in the making. Starting in his hometown of Jacksonville, Florida he laid the foundation for his culinary career at Club Continental, La Pasta Fresca, and Florida Café. Later, his adventures took him to restaurant kitchens across the country including the wildly popular Asylum in Beverly Hills and Wolfgang Puck's San Diego outpost, Delicias. After deciding that a formal culinary education was in order, Gray attended the prestigious Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, New York and graduated in 1992. Later that year, Gray joined the team at New York City's venerable Zoë restaurant. Reflecting on these experiences, Gray notes, "I have been fortunate throughout my career to work with talented people who have mentored me on both the business and creative sides of the restaurant profession. In honor of those who helped me, I try to do the same for the people I now work with in my restaurant."

In 1994, he was tapped by a former instructor at the CIA, Paul Sartory, to be Executive Sous Chef at the Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant (WSGR) at the CIA's Napa Valley campus. In preparation for the WSGR's opening, Sartory, winner of the coveted Bocuse d'Or competition, and Gray embarked on an extensive culinary research trip to Spain where they developed ideas for the restaurant's authentic Mediterranean menu. It was during this trip and the subsequent years he spent in the Napa Valley that his passion for Mediterranean cuisine blossomed.

Living in California's wine country developed more than Gray's culinary skills in that he became extremely knowledgeable about wines as well. During his days off, he worked in the cellar at a Calistoga boutique winery, Helena View Johnston Vineyards, with winemaker Charlie Johnston. To this day, Gray and Johnston continue to team up each year to host winemaker dinner events for charities around the country. Enraptured by more than just the spell cast by the fine wines at Helena View, it was also here that Gray met his future wife, Sarah Marie, Johnston's elder daughter.

By 1999, Gray was ready to make his next big move professionally. A partnership offer from long-time friends and restaurateurs, Mike Schneider, Terry Schneider and Ann Riley, lured him back to Jacksonville to do just that. Today, Gray pairs his innovative cuisine with Bistro Aix's extensive wine list. "It is important to me to be able to offer our guests the same kind of food and wine experiences I grew accustomed to New York City and the Napa Valley," states Gray. He also takes obvious pleasure in exceeding his guests' expectations by welcoming many by name, learning their food preparation preferences, and offering menu and wine pairing suggestions when he can break away from the kitchen to visit a table.

With all this experience and passion wrapped into one, how does Gray describe his signature style? "My dishes are most heavily influenced by Mediterranean cuisine. Over time, this has evolved into my own approach to blending American cuisine and the honest flavors and traditional dishes of the Mediterranean. Because we are a bistro, I keep the dishes hearty and the menu approachable while at the same time recognizing that my diners love to be challenged to try new tastes. I am constantly developing the menu in pursuit of this balance." And on being back in his hometown, Gray notes, "In all my years living in Jacksonville, we never had a restaurant quite like Bistro Aix. I am so pleased that Jacksonville has embraced what we have created and that the essence and excitement of European bistro dining has found a home here, just as it has in other cities around the country."