The Story
Blue Smoke is a barbecue restaurant rooted in the culinary traditions of the American South and raised in New York City. Chef Jean-Paul Bourgeois draws inspiration from his native Louisiana, serving soulful southern barbecue and sides like Seven Pepper Brisket, Alabama White Wings, and Cornbread Madeleines. Throughout the menu are dishes that feature ingredients sourced from some of the best Southern farmers and purveyors, from Anson Mills to Leidenheimer Baking Company. An all-American beverage menu complements the Southern cooking with a wide range of whiskeys, wines, cocktails, and craft beers from coast to coast.
Named for the curl of smoke that rises from the pit, Blue Smoke was one of New York City’s first barbecue joints when it opened nearly 15 years ago, and now has sister locations in Battery Park City and the Delta terminal at John F. Kennedy Airport, as well as outposts in Citifield and Nationals Park.
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Our Team
JEAN-PAUL BOURGEOIS
Executive Chef
Jean-Paul grew up in the small town of Thibodaux, Louisiana, and received his Bachelor’s degree at John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University. In culinary school, Jean-Paul participated in an eye-opening exchange program with the Paul Bocuse Institute in Lyon, France. After completing his formal studies, he worked at Étoile restaurant at the Domaine Chandon winery in Napa before moving to San Francisco to help open EPIC Roasthouse as a sous chef under Chef Jan Birnbaum. In 2007, he moved to St. Thomas, where he served as sous chef at two local restaurants on the island. In 2009, Jean-Paul moved to New York and joined the team at Maialino. Over four years, Jean-Paul was promoted several times and ultimately assumed the role of Chef de Cuisine of Gramercy Terrace at The Gramercy Park Hotel. In 2014, Jean-Paul became Executive Chef of Blue Smoke, overseeing both locations of Blue Smoke, Jazz Standard at Blue Smoke’s Flatiron location, and Blue Smoke On The Road.
JASON GORE
General Manager of Blue Smoke Flatiron
Upon graduating from Miami University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management, Jason leveraged his passion for food and hospitality into a job at Buffalo Wild Wings. During his time there, he progressed from busboy to bartender to manager in six years. His contributions, including the creation of a cocktail program and bartending manual, were adopted nationwide as the business grew exponentially. In 2008, Jason moved to New York and began working at Five Points restaurant in the East Village, starting as a floor manager and eventually assuming the role of beverage manager. In 2014, Jason was hired as General Manager of Blue Smoke Battery Park City. He is now the General Manager at Blue Smoke’s original Flatiron location.
Andrew Sherman
General Manager of Blue Smoke Battery Park City
Born and raised in Queens, New York, Andrew started cooking at a young age, learning how to make classic Italian dishes from his first-generation grandparents. With a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Psychology from Polytechnic Institute of New York University, Andrew originally pursued a career in Financial Risk Engineering before revisiting his love of cooking. After receiving his Associates Degree in Culinary Arts from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), Andrew traveled to New Orleans for a culinary internship at John Besh’s Restaurant, August. He returned to New York in 2012 and joined Major Food Group’s flagship restaurant, Torrisi Italian Specialties, before becoming a Sous Chef at Parm. Andrew joined Union Square Hospitality Group in 2014 as a Sous Chef at Blue Smoke’s Flatiron location. He rose through the ranks and was named the Chef de Cuisine of Blue Smoke Battery Park City in 2015, and General Manager in 2017.