Long before he plated a dish in Portugal or simmered 25 gallons of gumbo, Birmingham personal chef Jonathan Harrison was learning the art of good food in his grandfather’s garden. “At the time, I didn’t realize how much that was shaping me—or would shape me,” he says. Years later, as he tends his own sprawling garden filled with okra, tomatoes, zinnias, and six kinds of basil, he sees that early influence in every bite he creates.
Harrison, who grew up in Columbiana, took a winding path to the kitchen. A talented singer, he earned a vocal scholarship before studying journalism at Auburn University. But he never lost his culinary passion. Inspired as a child by Ina Garten of Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network, he once convinced his mother to buy him ingredients for her red wine–braised short ribs—a dish he soon mastered and still enjoys.
“At the end of the day, it’s all a means to an end,” he says with a laugh. “I like to eat.” But it’s more than that. Harrison believes food is a universal language—a powerful way to bring people together. He calls his approach “inclusive Southern hospitality,” creating spaces where “the table is crowded, but there’s always room for one more.”
“I’ve watched food bring together the most opposite of people,” he says. “We’ve all got to eat… so that’s instant common ground.”
That ethos carries through to his work as a personal chef, where he crafts bespoke dining experiences for clients across Birmingham, Smith Lake, Lake Martin—and even abroad. “For dinner parties, we turn your home into a boutique restaurant for the evening,” he says. “It’s four to eight courses, and it’s an experience. My team and I do it all—from shopping to cooking to washing the dishes.”
His menus are hyper-seasonal, celebrating Alabama’s agricultural bounty. June, he says, is peak peach and tomato season. He loves to pair them in a peach, plum, and tomato salad alongside hefty cuts of grilled meats, creating a meal that feels both elevated and relaxed.
Harrison’s career took off after a star-making turn on Gordon Ramsay’s Next Level Chef, which led to freelance work with Food & Wine and Allrecipes, as well as private clients—some of whom he accompanies to Europe annually.
Still taking in the reality that he’s living out his dream, Harrison humbly recalls his first major culinary event: cooking at the Birmingham Food+Fire Festival in 2023, surrounded by chefs he’d long admired. Fueled by a drive to prove himself, he served smoked turkey neck and wild boar andouille gumbo, as well as braised duck leg carnitas with avocado salsa and crispy duck skin. “They were a big hit at the festival that day,” he remembers—an affirmation that he was exactly where he was meant to be.
Harrison’s passion for food and humanitarian work led him to volunteer with World Central Kitchen during the Ukrainian refugee crisis. “I’d never been to Europe,” he says. “But I booked a flight and went to Poland, 12 miles from Ukraine.” There, he joined chefs from around the world to cook for thousands of displaced families—an experience he calls life-changing. “I met people from 15 different countries in that kitchen. It was humbling, beautiful, and it confirmed I’m on the right path.”
For Harrison, feeding others is a calling. “If you’ve been given a passion, you might as well do some good with it,” he says. “Food builds community. It creates purpose. And when it’s done with love, it can remind people that they’re not alone.”
When it comes to creating a memorable dining experience, Harrison pairs creativity with precision. “When you’re hosting, it’s about details, details, details,” he explains. “If you think about something 10% more, you can make it 100% better.” Whether it’s the perfect wine glass placement or using plates that mean something, he believes thoughtful details elevate every guest’s experience in an unforgettable way.
His dream dinner guest? Ina Garten, of course. “She’s the reason all of this is happening,” he says. “I would absolutely love to cook for her someday. I think she’d dig our vibe down here.” Until then, Jonathan Harrison will keep serving up masterful dishes, Southern hospitality—and if you’re lucky—his signature white chocolate bread pudding.
"Food builds community. It creates purpose. And when it’s done with love, it can remind people that they’re not alone.”