Chef Jay McCarthy was born in New York and spent the first 10 years of his life in Jamaica.
He came to Texas to attend Texas A&M University where he received a degree in aerospace engineering. He worked as an engineer for a short time, but found he was inspired more by blending avors than he was by mixing jet fuels.
He returned to New York where he studied to be a chef in the restaurant capital of the world, learning the trends of the industry and perfecting his culinary style.
From New York he moved to Texas where he took various chef positions with exclusive San Antonio restaurants including Polos in the Fairmont Hotel, Zuni’s and Cascabel. While serving as executive chef at Cascabel, he was named the best chef in San Antonio and the restaurant was noted as serving the best Southwestern cuisine in the city.
McCarthy then worked for Central Market, a division of H.E.B. Grocery Co., in Austin where he administered its restaurants. It was a new concept for Texas—a supermarket o ering foodservice.
Under McCarthy’s supervision, the Central Market restaurants served thousands of meals each week and became a major pro center for the company. He also was a pioneer in developing prepared take-out meals for shoppers to consume at home.
He left Central Market to return to San Antonio as executive chef of the multicultural restaurant Mesteña.
Chef McCarthy’s unique style utilizes the native averse of Texas. He is an expert in preparation of underutilized cuts of beef, including chuck and round cuts, cooked over aromatic-wood coals and is also renowned for his culinary use of cactus. Drawing from his Jamaican roots, his cooking style has been recognized for blending native Texas cuisine with tropical flavours.
Like Julia Child and Jacques Pepin, McCarthy has been designated as a Certi ed Culinary Professional (CCP) by the International Association of Culinary Professionals. A rare distinction, this status is based on a rigorous examination that ascertains comprehensive knowledge of the culinary arts and sciences.
McCarthy has consulted about cooking around the world, including major hotels and restaurants in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mexico, Costa Rica, South Korea, China and Bulgaria. He has been a guest on the cable television program entitled “Ready, Set, Cook” on the Television Food Network. He has appeared on a national PBS TV program entitled “Savor the Southwest.”
Chef Jay McCarthy has been the Corporate Chef for the Group970 Restaurant Company, located in Beaver Creek, Colorado. In that position, McCarthy spent his days overseeing all culinary operations of the company’s ve restaurants, the Beaver Creek Chophouse, the Beaver Creek Blue Moose Pizza, Foxnut Asian Fusion & Sushi, Vail Chophouse, & Vail Blue Moose Pizza. With the recent sale of the Chophouses, it has allowed Chef McCarthy more time to focus on other projects.
The newest project being a BBQ joint. Done in conjunction with Crazy Mountain Brewery. Thrilllist stated the Crazy Mountain BBQ and Taproom was one of the best places for BBQ in Denver.
Additionally, McCarthy spends much of the year consulting, teaching, and lecturing overseas as well as domestically.
Chef Jay McCarthy at Grand Hyatt Jakarta
For meat lovers, do not miss Celebrity Chef Jay McCarthy at C’s Steak & Seafood Restaurant from 6 to 10 September 2016. This event is supported by U.S. Meat Export Federation, U.S. Beef and Indoguna. Reserve your table early by calling 021 2992 1383 or 2992 1234 ext. 3400 or email [email protected].
