Chefs Jonny and Monique Black, husband and wife, achieve the Michelin star with their restaurant in Carmel by the Sea. Michelin was won over by the traditional dishes from the California coast.
The News
Chez Noir, a relatively new restaurant in Carmel-by-the-Sea, has been awarded a prestigious Michelin star. Managed by chefs Jonny Black and Monique Black, husband and wife, Chez Noir opened in 2022 on Fifth Avenue, between Dolores and San Carlos streets. The website states that the idea behind the project is to innovate the European-inspired bistro formula.
"The cuisine is inspired by French bistro dishes and highlights the richness of the California coast, with seafood, sea bass, and abalone as the main attractions. If choosing from the numerous and delicious dishes becomes too difficult, opt for a set menu that offers a tour of their signature dishes," reading on the Michelin Guide.
The restaurant pays homage to shellfish and seafood from the Central coast. Carmel is known more for its beaches than for its cutting-edge culinary scene, but Jonny and Monique aim to lead the way for a new and unique gastronomic era. Moreover, it was revealed that the favorite dish among the MICHELIN Guide inspectors in the last year was Chez Noir's abalone skewer.
The restaurant now joins Aubergine as the second Central Coast restaurant to receive a star. Additionally, a week earlier, Maligne restaurant, located in Seaside, was added to the Michelin Bib Gourmand list, becoming the fourth restaurant to receive this recognition. Are you planning to visit Chez Noir? "Don't miss the heavenly vanilla-scented canelé, with the perfect balance between the crispness of the exterior and the creaminess of the interior," says the Michelin Guide.
This recent achievement is the result of an exemplary journey, as chef Jonny Black boasts extensive experience in award-winning restaurants. His resume includes several Michelin-starred addresses on the East Coast, but he also worked at one of the world's most renowned fine dining establishments, Noma, and served as Executive Sous Chef at Pineapple & Pizza in Washington D.C., during the same years he earned the double macaron. Finally, since 2019, Black moved to the Monterey Bay area to work as Executive Chef at Post Ranch Inn before opening his family-run restaurant in Carmel.
