Chef Juwanza Thomas

Chef At Home in Colorado Springs
Chef Juwanza Thomas

Get to know me better

Adventurer and outdoorsman, student of the kitchen, a master Southern cook and pretty dang good at Mexican, Japanese, Southwestern & Italian cuisines!

Hey Y'all!

I'm Chef Juwanza Thomas, with almost 20 years of professional culinary experience, I feel more than qualified to deliver an incredible dining experience to you and your guests!

I've had the privilege of working in some award winning restaurants, luxury steakhouses, Michelin Guide recognized concepts, and even large scale catering operations. Those experiences have shaped my approach to food, but my passion for cooking began much earlier in my grandmother's kitchen in Arkansas.

My style blends fabled Southern hospitality with influences from Japanese, Italian, Mexican, and regional American cuisines. I believe every meal should tell a story, whether it's an intimate dinner for two, a multi course tasting menu, or a hands on cooking class. I focus on thoughtful flavors, beautiful presentation, and creating an experience that guests will remember long after the last course.

For me, being a private chef is about much more than cooking. It's about bringing people together through food, celebrating life's milestones, and creating moments that feel personal and unforgettable. Every menu is customized to my guests, using high quality ingredients, exceptional techniques, seasonal & situational inspiration, and the same level of care and attention I would give to a meal for my own family. I look forward to sharing my passion for food and hospitality with you.

Photo from chef Juwanza Thomas

More about me

For me, cooking is...

So many things. It's art. It's history. It's culture. It's healing. It's comforting. It's communal. It's ever-changing, yet it's consistent.

I learned to cook at...

I started culinary school at the same time I started in restaurants and quickly dropped out of school to commit full time to restaurant work.

A cooking secret...

It's not a secret, cooking in percentages (metrically) AND by feel are they ways I cook everything.

Book your experience with Chef Juwanza

Specify the details of your requests and the chef will send you a custom menu just for you.