Justin Devillier is the Chef/Owner of La Petite Grocery and Justine, cookbook author of The New Orleans Kitchen, and the 2016 James Beard Award winner for Best Chef: South.
Devillier was raised in Dana Point, California, a small beach town in South Orange County. He spent summers fishing for Yellowtail and Albacore tuna, and in the fall and winter he would dive for lobsters just steps from his front door. This bounty of local seafood inspired him to enter the culinary industry, and after working in local restaurants right out of high school he decided to focus all of his time on becoming a chef. In 2003, Devillier moved to New Orleans in search of a vibrant restaurant community.
In 2004, Devillier joined the team at La Petite Grocery. Following Hurricane Katrina, he helped re-build the restaurant’s infrastructure, and in 2007 was promoted to executive chef. A short three years later, Devillier and his wife Mia took over ownership of the restaurant, housed in a century-old building with a storied history. At La Petite Grocery, Devillier puts his creative spin on traditional New Orleans cuisine with dishes like Turtle Bolognese, Panéed Rabbit, and Blue Crab Beignets. In 2014, he was awarded “Chef of the Year” by New Orleans Magazine.
In early 2019, the Devilliers opened Justine in the New Orleans’ French Quarter. The brasserie is the realization of Devillier’s long-time dream to open a restaurant in the South’s most lively district.