WASHINGTON, DC – March 12, 2024 – Jaime Montes de Oca was appointed executive chef for Fairmont Washington, D.C., Georgetown. The announcement comes from Mark Huntley, general manager and regional vice president of the 413-room luxury hotel.
A native of New York and a 20-year culinary veteran, Chef Montes de Oca boasts an impressive and all-encompassing resume, achieved through hard work, determination, and an innate ability to consistently innovate. Chef Montes de Oca describes his style as modern American with an Asian Influence. He sources locally and seasonally, and has a minimalist approach to taste and texture, letting ingredients speak for themselves.
Prior to joining Fairmont, Chef Montes de Oca was food & beverage director at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He oversaw all aspects of food and beverage, from catering and cafés, to the esteemed Roof Terrace Restaurant. Under his direction the iconic restaurant received an outstanding Washington Post Review, and was named as one of Tom Sietsema’s favorite places to dine. He curated menus for high-profile events such as The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, the National Symphony Orchestra Gala, and the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors.
Previously, he was the chef de cuisine at the Cosmos Club from 2016 until 2019. From 2012 until 2016, Chef Montes de Oca was the senior executive sous Chef at the Hay Adams Hotel and he was the executive chef at Zentan in the Donovan House in DC from 2009 until 2012.
Before moving to the Nation’s Capital in 2009, he worked in New York City at Shang Restaurant, the Gramercy Park Hotel, The Russian Tea Room, and other notable hotels and restaurants.
Chef Montes de Oca graduated from the New York Restaurant School in 1990, and was designated as a Certified Executive Chef by the American Culinary Federation in 2018. He was the winner of the 2023 Food Management Best Concept Award for the development of LaChino, an innovative menu concept embracing and uniting the Latin American culinary traditions of his upbringing with his deep appreciation for Asian flavors and ingredients.
A resident of Alexandria Virginia, Chef Montes de Oca enjoys visiting the many cultural sites throughout the Washington metropolitan area with his wife and family. In his free time, he plays the guitar and enjoys woodworking.
