executive chef

Born and raised in Fitchburg, MA, Jonathan Karis grew up in a family of avid cooks. His parents, both teachers, were home for dinner every night: Jon’s dad, a first generation Greek American, would often cook dinner, including Jonathan’s favorites Moussaka, kritharaki: orzo with roast beef dripping and tomato; and his mother would bake desserts. As a family, they also loved to explore the Boston and Worcester area dining scenes for family dinners. 

In college, Jonathan initially pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Boston University, but his early calling to food pulled him back into the kitchen. During his senior year, he began cooking professionally at a small, family-owned seasonal Italian restaurant, La Morra, igniting his passion of the culinary arts.  After later moving to the Bay Area, CA, where his wife is from, Jonathan was hired as a Line Cook at Incanto, a local Italian restaurant. When the restaurant closed, he moved to a seasonal Spanish restaurant, Duende.

In 2015, Jonathan fulfilled his dream to live and work in New York City where he started as a Line Cook at Danny Meyer’s renowned Gramercy Tavern alongside celebrated Executive Chef Michael Anthony. Over the years, his dedication and skill led him through the ranks, from Line Cook to Sous Chef, Executive Sous Chef, and eventually, Chef de Cuisine.

After meeting Pascaline Lepeltier and Jared David through a mutual friend, Jonathan’s career took a pivotal turn when he joined their team as the Executive Chef and Partner at Chambers. Owning a business has always been a dream of his, and this opportunity allowed him to step into a leadership role while continuing to do what he loves in the kitchen. At Chambers, Jonathan was given free reign to develop a menu based on his previous experiences cooking in seasonal kitchens. His menu features seasonal New York cuisine with European technique and influences - with signature dishes like Veal Sweetbreads with Tokyo turnips and garlic chives, and Snowdance Chicken with spinach, sherry and thyme. The menu changes frequently and is expertly paired with the restaurant’s exploratory menu of accessible natural wines.

Looking ahead, Jonathan’s ultimate goal is to mentor the next generation of culinary professionals. He aims to inspire young chefs to find their own paths while upholding the values of craftsmanship, creativity, and passion in the kitchen.

beverage director

Growing up in the Loire Valley, Pascaline Lepeltier pivoted from a master’s in philosophy and a career as a university teacher to the hospitality industry at the two star Michelin-rated L’Auberge Bretonne under celebrated Chef Jacques Thorel, where her obsession with wine began. Within a year, she was named both Best Loire Valley Young Sommelier and Best Brittany Sommelier. 

While working as Beverage Director at Rouge Tomate in Brussels, she interned at the George V in Paris under the direction of Best European Sommelier and Best World Sommelier runner-up Eric Beaumard. Promoted to the position of Beverage Director for the Rouge Tomate flagship in New York, she moved to Manhattan in 2009. Within months, she was named one of the five best new US sommeliers of 2011 by Wine & Spirits, one of the “New Wine Prophets” by Time Out NY, one of the “40 under 40” beverage influencers by Wine Enthusiast and dubbed the “Natural Wine Evangelist” by Ray Isle in Food & Wine. Her work championing natural wines at Rouge Tomate continued to earn her accolades: The New York Times awarded her Rouge Tomate wine list as one of the best in NYC in 2013, and The World of Fine Wine awarded it “Best Long Wine List in the World 2017” and “Wine List of the Year 2017.” 

In 2014, Pascaline passed the Master Sommelier Diploma, and in 2018, she won 2 more major titles in her home country: she is now a laureate of “Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France - Sommellerie” and Best French Sommelier 2018. In January 2019, the famous French magazine La Revue du Vin de France awarded her “Personality of the Year 2019”, the first woman to be given this prestigious recognition. In 2023, she represented France in the ASI Best Sommelier in the World held in Paris, where she finished 4th. In 2024, she was the runner-up of the ASI Best Sommelier of Europe, Middle-East and Africa. Meanwhile in 2016, after years spent working harvests in vineyards as much as she could, Pascaline partnered with winemaker Nathan Kendall on chëpìka, a wine project to rediscover the potential of organically-grown native grapes and sparkling wines in the Finger Lakes. 

In 2017, she collaborated with acclaimed author Alice Feiring for The Dirty Guide to Wine. Since then, she worked with photographer Hélène de Fontainieu to publish a photography book called Domaine aux Moines, A Year in the Heart of the Loire Valley Vineyard (Editions de l’Entre-Coeur), dedicated to the work of Tessa Laroche in Savennières. In 2022, she published her first solo book, Mille Vignes, Penser le vin de demain (Editions Hachette Pratique). The English version, One Thousand Vines, was published in November 2024 by Octopus Publishing, to critical acclaim. 

In 2018, Pascaline became a partner in Racines NY, one of the top wine destinations in the USA. In 2022, alongside Chef Jonathan Karis, General Manager Jared David and wine guru David Lillie, they reimagined the Racines space to become Chambers, a farm-to-table wine-focused restaurant in TriBeCa where she is Partner and the Beverage Director. Here, Pascaline aims to deliver an exemplary wine list of tomorrow. She oversees a 2,000+ accessible yet exploratory wine list focusing on vin de vignerons: mostly biodynamic, organic and natural wines, handpicked for their commitment to sustainable farming, which, paired with Chef Jon Karis’ menu highlighting locally sourced ingredients, makes for a destination-worthy experience. 

When she’s not on the floor at Chambers or working a harvest, Pascaline pursues her passion about wine education. She has written for various prominent wine guides and books in France – including The World of Fine Wine, Art of Eating and Wine & Spirits.  Since April 2019, she has a monthly column “Vu d’Ailleurs” in La Revue du Vin de France. She teaches with the Wine Scholar Guild. She has lectured in preeminent wine congresses in North America and Europe, including IPNC in Oregon, TexSom in Texas, RAW Wine Fair in NY, Terroir Symposium in Toronto, Tasting Climate Change in Montreal, VieVinum in Vienna, Wine Paris & Vinexpo in Paris, etc. She is a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier New York and of  the Gérard Basset Foundation grant awarding panel.

general manager

Also born in Fitchburg, Massachusetts (in the same hospital as Jon, several years prior) but raised in rural Western Pennsylvania, Jared David was drawn to the vibrancy and rhythm of city life at a young age. As a child, he looked forward to the frequent trips his family took to Pittsburgh, Toronto and Washington, DC. During a family dinner at DC restaurant Galileo, eight-year-old Jared ordered the quail, to the server's (but not his parents’!) surprise. It was clear early on that his passion for fine dining had been ignited. 

Jared got his start working in the restaurant industry at only 14 years old as a busser at “the nicest restaurant in town.” He eventually moved into kitchen roles, moving his way up the ranks the old-fashioned way: from dishwasher to Garde Manger to working the Pasta Line. 

In 2002, after graduating from The George Washington University with a degree in International Affairs, Jared moved to New York City, instead working in a variety of industries, from sales to the performing arts. 

Jared was drawn back to the restaurant world in 2005 when he became a Server/Captain at Brasserie 8 ½, the long-gone but once swanky upscale French brasserie in Midtown Manhattan. From here, his career in hospitality skyrocketed with stints working in nightlife at Buddha Bar in the Meatpacking District and in management positions at Michelin-starred restaurants such as Babbo and La Sirena. 

In 2019, Jared joined the team at Racines in Tribeca as General Manager, the acclaimed wine-bar where he first met and worked alongside renowned Sommelier, Pascaline Lepeltier. 

After the pandemic, Jared joined forces with Pascaline, Chef Jonathan Karis and David Lillie to open Chambers in the former Racines space where he now serves as General Manager and Partner, lending his passion for delivering approachable yet excellent service to the restaurant’s destination-worthy dining experience.