A two-time (2010 and 2009) semi-finalist for the coveted James Beard Award Best Chef: South, Tom Gray is one of the Southeast’s most respected chefs, having made a name for himself in kitchens across the country including the wildly popular Asylum in Beverly Hills and Wolfgang Puck’s San Diego outpost, Delicias. In 1994, he was tapped to be the Executive Sous Chef at the Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant at the Culinary Institute of America’s Napa Valley campus, and later returned to his Florida roots in 1999 to open Bistro AIX.
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, his pursuit of excellence in all these areas is one of the main ingredients to the success of Bistro AIX.
A 1992 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in New York, Gray’s professional restaurant experiences and travels in Provence and Spain fueled his passion for Mediterranean and California cuisines. Balancing his culinary skills with a keen interest in wine, he also worked in the cellar at a Napa Valley boutique winery to learn the art of winemaking. Today, with a focus on locally-sourced, organic, natural and sustainable ingredients, Gray pairs his seasonally-inspired innovative cuisine and full-bodied knowledge of wines to offer his guests the same kind of dining experience he grew accustomed to in New York City and the Napa Valley.
Under his direction, Bistro AIX has been voted by locals as the Best Restaurant in Jacksonville, and since 2004 is a recipient of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. Gray and Bistro AIX have been featured in such publications as The New York Times, Travel & Leisure, and USA Weekend Magazine. Gray was named as one of Florida Monthly Magazines 21 Most Intriguing Floridians in 2010 and for Bistro AIX’s inventive and constantly-evolving menu, Gray has been voted Jacksonville’s Best Chef.
