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    James Beard Award winner

    Jill Vedaa

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    James Beard Award winner
    Portrait of Jill Vedaa

    Portrait of Jill Vedaa

    i. Biography

    Career At Salt, Jill Vedaa has served as Executive Chef and co-owner since 2016. The role has required a kitchen language built on pace, grit, restraint, and control of the plate’s balance: simple ingredients, careful texture, color, and globally inspired flavors, all held in check rather than pushed past themselves. In 2025, she added Vice President of Culinary Operations at Buildings and Food, extending that same point of view to a larger operation without changing the underlying discipline.

    “I have a deep passion for food, from preparing it to enjoying it. The opportunity to do so on a larger scale and to mentor talented individuals is truly a dream job.” Jill has said.

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    Pork Secreto, Grilled Mango Salsa, Lime, Cilantro appears as one of Jill Vedaa’s signature dishes. The combination points to the way her cooking is described: vivid, tightly composed, and built on contrast, with richness set against brightness and freshness rather than buried beneath excess.

    Recognition/etc James Beard Award semifinalist is the recognition attached to Jill Vedaa. The honor sits alongside a body of work defined less by flash than by control, visual clarity, and a consistent insistence on doing more with fewer moving parts.

    ii

    FAQ

    Asked of Jill

    • What is Jill Vedaa's current role?

      As of 2026, Jill Vedaa is Vice President of Culinary Operations.

    • What recognition has Jill Vedaa received?

      James Beard Award semifinalist (2018).

    • What is Jill Vedaa known for?

      Focuses on elevating simple ingredients and creating a thoughtful composition of textures, colors, and globally inspired flavors.

    The Sunday email

    Get new Made By stories every Sunday.

    Every Sunday we send a lead story and up to four more about the chefs, winemakers, sommeliers and hoteliers behind the restaurants, bars, wineries and hotels we cover.

    See a sample of the Sunday email

    Free. One email a week, and you can unsubscribe from any issue.