Chef John Salazar attended the School of Culinary Arts and completed his apprenticeship at the Westin hotels in Houston, Texas.  To further refine his skills and broaden his experiences with cuisine from various regions of the world, Chef Salazar also studied under Chef Carl Walker at Brennan’s in Houston and worked as sous chef under Chef Scott Chen at Scott’s Cellar.

During his tenure as the Executive Chef at Michaeline’s on West Alabama, Chef Salazar received high praises and esteemed recognition for his New American Fusion cuisine and his creativity in plate presentation.  At the end of 2001, he was named one of the top 30 chefs in the city by Inside Houston magazine and, in the December, 2001 issue of my table, he was named as one of food & beverage industry’s 35 top young talents in Houston.

Between 2001 and 2003, Chef Salazar was the Executive Chef at Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros.  He oversaw daily operations in all kitchens, VIP suites, and the exclusive Diamond Club.  His strong background in fine dining proved to be invaluable in charity functions and other important events held at Minute Maid Park, where the guest lists often included Hollywood celebrities and key political players. In April of 2003, Chef Salazar joined the Pappas corporation as the Executive Chef for their research & development team.  He also consulted on many other restaurant start-up projects.  Between 2003 and 2007, Chef Salazar held kitchen management positions at the Houston Country Club, the Houston Club, and the Sugar Creek Country Club.

In August of 2003, Chef Salazar was elected by his peers to be the president of the Professional Chefs Association - American Culinary Federation Houston Chapter - he held the position for three years.  Chef Salazar has conducted cooking classes, demonstrations, and judged competitions at many culinary schools.  In September, 2002, the Urban Latino magazine featured many of Chef Salazar’s award-winning recipes in their Sabor column.  In the article, Chef Salazar was regarded as one of “the finest Latino chefs in the country,” as well as “the city’s most renowned culinary architects..”

Chef Salazar is the proprietor and executive chef of his own company, JA Salazar Catering.