MJ’S Story

What Is Michael John’s | A Brasserie or French-American Steakhouse?

Our Story (Michael Johns Restaurant)

I’ve been asked that question several times over the past years. My answer is it’s both!

Let’s first define what a French Brasserie is. A Brasserie is a type of bar or restaurant with white tablecloth tables that serve hearty food in a relaxed atmosphere, especially steaks. A Brasserie steak is known as “Steak Frites,” it is topped with compound butter and served with fries or frites. Our compound butter is made with shallots, white wine, garlic, and herbs.

Michael John’s opened in November 2006 as an American Brasserie to honor the restaurant Brasserie le Coze, Atlanta.

 

 

Brasserie le Coze is where I got my first introduction to rustic French cuisine. Since it was a Brasserie, there was no pretentiousness with the preparation or ingredients—just simple, wonderfully prepared French dishes from Maguy Le Coze’s upbringing in France.

Dishes like Coq au Vin, A French stew of chicken braised in red wine with mushrooms and crispy lardons, to Moules marinière, mussels steamed in wine and cream. This style of cooking felt like what I was brought up on in our blue-collar neighborhood in New Jersey. My mother was a great cook and teacher. Growing up in Jersey, she would cook meals from Italian, German, to French-Belgium.

When MJs opened, I chose to be an American Brasserie because it allowed us to create these simple, rustic dishes from anywhere in the world. America is, after all, the melting pot of cuisines and flavors. Initially, we had very few steak offerings, and it was more continental.

 

 

Over the years, our steak preparations gained popularity, and we slowly added more cuts to our menu. It became more popular because of how we prepare the steaks, from dry aging to searing and finishing with our garlic-herb butter. We age our whole cuts of beef for 14-21 days before portioning them to menu specifications. Dry aging gives the beef enough time to soften the proteins and adds flavor.

 

 

I found that our guests like this medium amount of age time. We then season the cut with coarse ground kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. We pan-sear our steaks with little oil to lock in the juices and add a nice crust. Then finish the steak with a dollop of our garlic and wine compound butter to give it the right amount of acid and creamy texture on your pallet.

Michael Johns also has an extensive menu that offers incredible prepared poultry and seafood dishes, from our chicken cordon blue to the wild-caught salmon and roasted half duck from Maple leaf farms. Our goal is to give the best overall guest experience, from quality and presentation of cuisine, to impeccable service.

Chef Michael’s Personal History

I enjoyed, even loved cooking at a very young age. We have a large family, and every meal my mother prepared was an undertaking. I have three brothers and a sister. I would sit in her kitchen and watch her create these fantastic meals. It was around eight when she would let me assist in simple prep, like soup preparation.

From there, I was always in the kitchen, learning to make our family’s favorite German, Italian, and European meals. My father was German, my Mom was French-Belgium, and we lived in New Jersey with many Italian influences.

I got my first job dishwashing at a breakfast restaurant when I was around 13, and the restaurant business had me at that point. The subculture lifestyle and language of the cooks were intriguing to me at such a young age. It was like you were traveling with a bunch of roadies for a rock band. The only rules were to cook good and cook consistently. If you did that well, you could stay for the after-hour festivities.

My father didn’t like the restaurant business, so he sent me to college and get a degree. I chose Psychology and Sport Psychology, but I never gave up cooking. I graduated and worked as a caseworker in an outpatient center or county jail. I was headed to get my Master’s degree but wanted to give the whole culinary field a shot before I made the decision. So, I walked into Michael’s on East, in Sarasota, Florida to begin my professional career, and I never looked back.

I have worked with many top chefs throughout my culinary life, mainly in Atlanta and New York, but my most significant moment was cooking with my chef at the famed James Beard House in New York at the age of 26. My core training was with the French at the Ritz Carlton, Atlanta, and Eric Ripert/Maguy Le Coze’s restaurant venture, The Brasserie Le Coze, Atlanta.

The Brasserie was my favorite place to work. It was highly demanding, but the level at which we were all cooking was worth it. Soon, I made it through the ranks at the Brasserie and wanted the opportunity to become a Chef. I was hired as the Executive chef of Blue Ridge Grill in Atlanta. That was an amazing experience, and it taught me authentic southern cooking, from roasted trout to collards that would blow your mind.

After a few years, I had to return home to support my younger brother, who had opened his restaurant. Unfortunately, I closed the restaurant four years later with a lot of experience in what not to do if I wanted to be successful.

Michael John’s was opened in November 2006, with my mission statement, Do it well, do it consistent, and keep it simple. I chose the American Brasserie model because it allowed me to create from many unique styles. America is, after all, a melting pot.

But I must admit, over the past few years, we have morphed into a steakhouse using the French techniques Eric and Maguy taught me long ago. My favorite food to cook is anything that takes low heat and a long cook time. With cooking, you need patience and let the flavors slowly build.