Jake Howell

The Climb

At Peninsula, Jake Howell holds the dual title of chef and partner, and the work behind it reads as a tight, deliberate line rather than a loud arrival. The progression matters here: in a trade that can reward volume over precision, Howell’s career has settled into a clear point of view, with each step sharpening how he works, where he works, and what he wants a room to do for the people inside it. Peninsula is the current expression of that focus, with Howell at its center.

Today

As chef and partner, Howell is in a role that points to both execution and ownership, but the title only partially describes the kind of energy he brings to it. The draw, by his own account, was the opportunity itself — a place where there was room to build, contribute, and keep moving. On opportunity, he said, "I just fell in love with the opportunity. Not just the city, but the tremendous opportunity that exists here." That line is less about sentiment than about working conditions: an appetite for momentum, for a city that functions as part of the job, and for the kind of practical optimism that turns a moment into something usable.

In Their Words “I just fell in love with the opportunity. Not just the city, but the tremendous opportunity that exists here.” “Everyone was super supportive and psyched about it, as opposed to weird and competitive.” The setting Howell describes is the one that matters most to the work: supportive rather than guarded, open rather than territorial. The language is plain, but the point is clear. For a chef building in public, the atmosphere around the kitchen and dining room can shape as much as the menu does. Howell’s comments place value on that environment as a working condition, not a slogan.

Recognition

Jake's honors include James Beard Award, Best Chef: Southeast (2025) and StarChefs Nashville Rising Stars Award (2022). The dates show a sequence of formal acknowledgment, but they also map the kind of attention Howell has drawn while staying anchored to the opportunity he identified early on. The awards function as markers, but the broader signal is simpler: his name has moved into the room in a way peers and judges have continued to register.