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Timothy Hontzas
James Beard Award winner
- Discipline
- Other
i. Biography
His Greek heritage is the line running through Timothy Hontzas’s professional cooking, and that lineage reaches back to his grandfather, Johnny Hontzopolous, who migrated to New Orleans in 1921 with seventeen dollars in his pocket. From that family history comes a practical understanding of food as more than sustenance: resilience, resourcefulness, and continuity made tangible in service. Johnny's Restaurant became the site of Timothy Hontzas’s early apprenticeship, where tradition and daily operation met in the back of house and at the table.
Coming Up
Today, Timothy Hontzas is owner and executive chef of Johnny's Restaurant. The role carries both responsibility and continuity, returning him to the same house where his work first took shape and placing him in charge of the rhythms he learned from the inside.
Where They Are Now
He now serves as owner and executive chef at Johnny's Restaurant in Homewood, Alabama. That position keeps Timothy Hontzas tied to the restaurant where his apprenticeship began in 2012, a direct thread between first service and present stewardship. The arc is plain in trade terms: apprentice becomes operator, and the person who once learned the room now helps define it. Timothy describes the work with one line: "We prepare food for the body, but Good Food to feed the Soul." The statement fits a kitchen built on generosity, steadiness, and the idea that a meal can do more than fill a plate.
Signature
Timothy's signature dishes include Spanakopita, Souvlaki, Rolo Kima (Greek Meatloaf w/Lamb), and House Made Yiaourti Cheesecake. Taken together, they place the kitchen firmly in Greek tradition, with familiar forms handled in a way that favors clarity and care. Spanakopita points to crisp structure and savory weight; Souvlaki shows the value of direct, disciplined cooking; Rolo Kima (Greek Meatloaf w/Lamb) speaks to a home-style format with substance; and House Made Yiaourti Cheesecake closes with something familiar, made in house. The range reflects a restaurant where heritage and hospitality operate side by side.
In Their Words “We prepare food for the body, but Good Food to feed the Soul.”
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Timothy
What is Timothy Hontzas's current role?
As of 2026, Timothy Hontzas is Owner and Executive Chef.
What recognition has Timothy Hontzas received?
James Beard Award finalist for Best Chef: South (2023).
