OWNERSHIP

After graduating from the Virginia Military Institute with a degree in business and economics, I left Virginia for New York City. I worked long and intense days at an investment bank with great people. It was an awesome, but unfulfilling experience. After leaving the bank, I spent a year working for a septic company digging holes and pumping…it was glorious. I rejoined the corporate world for two years and went to work at a corporate law firm.  After taking a wine education course just for fun, I decided the corporate world wasn’t for me and went to work at a wine shop across the street from my apartment for $10 an hour.  I spent two great years there learning about wine and the retail wine business.

Deciding to make wine my career, I traveled to Adelaide Australia to study wine and business at the University of Adelaide. Once back in the states, I returned to Virginia, got married and went to work at a wine bar.  While working at this restaurant, I was lucky enough to meet Michael Mercer. After working together for two years, Michael and I decided we could and should build a better restaurant. The first Wine Kitchen is the result of this decision. Michael retired from the company in 2018 and moved to South Carolina with his wife, Barb. I live in Leesburg, VA with my wife Staci and our young sons.

Email: jason@thewinekicthen.com

 I grew up first over seas (South/Central America, Europe), and then the family moved to Springfield, Va in 1995.  While in high school I took a job as a dishwasher at a retirement community.  I quickly was allowed to help prep/cook and fell in love with the kitchen.  When I graduated in 2003 I went to culinary school at Baltimore International College in downtown Baltimore.  While in Baltimore I worked at The Center Club, a prestigious Supper Club in downtown Baltimore.  I spent a couple years there and then decided to move back to Northern Virginia.

I worked at Vermilion in Old Town Alexandria for almost 3 years and worked my way through the various stations and up to Jr. Sous Chef.  At Vermilion is where I gained my appreciation for great product.  Tony Chittum was the first chef I worked for who preached local.  I left Vermilion, wanting to see more and focus on Italian food.

 I worked at Bibiana in D.C. for a year and then went back to Tallula in Arlington, Va (I worked mornings there for part of my time at Vermilion) as a sous chef.  After a year and a half I went back to D.C. working as a Sous Chef at Fiola and then Beuchert's Saloon.  

In the summer of 2014 I took my first head chef job at Room 11 in Columbia Heights, D.C.  After a year I wanted to work closer to home (Reston, Va) and closer to farms.  In 2015 I took the position of head chef here at Wine Kitchen Leesburg.  In 2018 with Michael Mercer retiring, I jumped at the chance to be a part of the ownership team.  I continue to strive for the best possible ingredients and push the food here.  When not at the restaurant I'm with my wife Katie(also a chef), our daughter and our Bernedoodle enjoying  life.