Chef Jonathon Sawyer

The Chef

He grows herbs on his Downtown restaurant's rooftop. He rides his bike to work. He composts and recycles kitchen and dining room scraps. He's Jonathon Sawyer, Cleveland's greenest of green chefs.

After graduating from Strongsville High School in suburban Cleveland, Chef Sawyer headed for the Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts in Pittsburgh. From there, he worked at the Biltmore Hotel in Miami, Charlie Palmer's Kitchen 22 in New York, and Lolita in Tremont under Chef Michael Symon before partnering in Ohio City's popular Bar Cento.

The Biz

Sawyer's first restaurant, The Greenhouse Tavern on East 4th Street, also was the first LEED-certified restaurant in Ohio. When he opened The Greenhouse Tavern in 2009, friends in bigger cities thought he was crazy. But Sawyer banked on Cleveland. Plus, his mom was here. (Ma Sawyer cooks for the entire staff every Saturday.)

No surprise to us, the risk paid off. In 2015, Sawyer earned the high honor of "Best Chef: Great Lakes" by the James Beard Foundation. Other accolades include earning a spot as a "Best New Chef" by Food & Wine and a "Best New Restaurant" for the Greenhouse Tavern in Bon Appetit.

Sawyer also wields his eco wand at Noodlecat (Japanese noodle house) in Crocker Park, Trentina (upscale northern Italian) in University Circle, Sawyer's Street Frites and Sausage and Peppers at FirstEnergy Stadium, and SeeSaw Pretzel Shoppe inside Quicken Loans Arena.

The Food

Sawyer is redefining what it means to be green. (Hint: It’s never tasted so good!) Produce, protein and grains come from nearby, as does vinegar bottled in the basement of his century home — he has a self-professed obsession with vinegar.

At flagship Greenhouse Tavern, you legitimately can't go wrong with just about anything on the ever-changing menu. Fan faves include the huge, grilled lamb burger with stinky cheese fondue, champagne shallot mignonette and tangy yogurt. But, the mother-of-all dishes at GHT is none other than the roasted pig's head (YES, it's a full-sized pig head cooked just for you) that's worthy of sharing with your most carnivorous of friends. [It's impeccably tasty, too!]

And, whatever you do, DO NOT forget to order a side of gravy frites (make them "animal style" if you're really hungry) and the chicken confit wings (which will, in one bite, make all other chicken wings inferior forever).