John Stubbs is the owner and operator of Jewel of the South, a modern French Quarter tavern founded in 2019 in New Orleans. Recent awards include:
– Winner James Beard award for Outstanding Bar Program
– World's 50 Best Bar
– Best Restaurant Bar in America by Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards
– Esquire Best Bars in America
– Louisiana Landmark Society Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation

In 2020, John and other American restaurateurs cofounded the Independent Restaurant Coalition and led an emergency campaign during the Covid-19 pandemic to generate more than $28 billion in federal funding for restaurants and bars. In 2022, John founded and led Moveable Feast, based in Napa, California. Moveable Feast was a one year project that delivered unique fine dining at home experiences to households nationwide from 12 Michelin and James Beard winning restaurant partners.

Prior to his work in the hospitality industry, for fifteen years John was the Managing Partner of Romulus Global Issues Management, a Washington, DC-based consulting firm that focused on emerging market issues for technology companies. Prior to Romulus, from 2001-2007 John worked for the White House including as a senior advisor to the United States Trade Representative. John has been a fellow at Harvard University’s Berkman Klein Center and a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations. John is a board member of the Defending Democracy Together Institute, the National Foreign Trade Council Foundation, the National Association of Urban Debate Leagues, and the New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute (NOCHI).