Jes Monroe

The Climb

Jes Monroe began early in their career as chef at Sonny’s Tavern in Dover, New Hampshire, United States (2016), a first kitchen that marked the start of a measured ascent. From there, Monroe moved into the role of Sous Chef behind the Chef’s Bar at farmacy in Ridge Street, where the pace and proximity of service required focus, adaptability, and a close read on the room as much as the plate. Today, Jes is Executive Chef of Ruffian, a role that reflects the accumulation of those earlier kitchens and the point of view they helped shape. Across each step, Monroe’s path shows a steady increase in responsibility and a growing fluency in building flavor with restraint, intent, and texture.

Today

At Ruffian, Monroe’s work brings seasonal produce into contact with slower, more layered technique. The cooking balances brightness with richness, letting spice, smoke, and fermentation sit under the freshness of the season rather than on top of it. Pickling, smoking, and fat-forward preparations function as structure here, not garnish. “It is so fun learning all these new things.”

In Their Words “I have to learn it and know it right on the fly, but I love it all. It is so fun learning all these new things.” The quote points to the pace of Monroe’s work: each new kitchen and responsibility met with curiosity rather than hesitation. The standard is exacting, but the approach is open. What comes through is a chef committed to learning, refining, and responding in real time.