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Staff

Bruno Chemel
Chef
Bruno Chemel was a top graduate of the Culinary School in Moulins, France in 1983 while working at Jean Pierre Billoux in Digoin, a Two Star Michelin restaurant, and is also a graduate of Lenotre Pastry Academy in Paris. His extensive training includes Certificates De Travail at such Michelin Three Stars establishments as: Le Vivarois, Le Grand Vefour and Guy Savor. As a professor, Chef Chemel worked for two years with famed Chef Joel Robuchon at LETNA Institute in France.

In 1990, Chef Chemel received Three stars from the New York Times while he was the Executive Chef at Le Chantilly. Subsequently, he continued his education in Japan studying Macrobiotic cooking for four years with Japanese Master Chefs. In Tokyo, he was also executive chef at Ambrosia, a fine art cusine restaurant. Chef Chemel then owned his own critically acclaimed Four Star restaurant, Cliquo, in Honolulu.

Moving to Southern California in late 2002 he became Executive Chef of Aqua at the Saint Regis Monarch Beach Dana Point which earned the Four Diamond rating from AAA and Five stars from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences presided by Jean Georges Vongerichten.

He opened La Suite in San Francisco in 2004 and as Executive Chef earned three stars from Michael Bauer of the S.F. Chronicle 2004; Best 10 New Restaurant 2004, Bay Area; Top 100 restaurant 2005, Bay Area; received Three and a half stars by Sheila Himmel, the San Jose Mercury News; Top 10 Best Restaurant San Francisco Gourmet Magazine 2005.


Ryan Shelton
 Pastry Chef
Ryan Shelton was born and raised in Silicon Valley. He moved to southern California where he attained his Bachelor's Degree in Culinary Management from the Art Institute of California-Orange County. His eclectic professional training includes everything from late night bar food at a Vietnamese club to a very early morning baking shift at the Ritz Carlton.

Chef Ryan has spent time training under professional chefs as well as home cooks in both Europe and Asia. Coupled with his experience at French, Indian, and Asian restaurants, he is able to claim a wide array of knowledge. Most beneficial to his current position as Pastry Chef is his time spent at the Ritz Carlton, Laguna Niguel where he worked in both baking and pastry.

In his 7 years in southern California, Chef Ryan worked at several restaurants, hotels and as a private caterer before deciding to move home. He is now happy to apply what he learned locally at Chez TJ.


Suzanne Chowla
Wine Director/Sommelier
Suzanne is a certified sommelier, certified by the Court of Master Sommeliers. She studied with Master Sommelier David Glancy in the Professional Culinary Institute's Sommelier Progam.

Suzanne delights in sharing her knowledge of and passion for wine directly with our guests, and also via her wine pairings with our Chef's Tasting Menu and our Menu Gastronomique. The wine paired with each course compliments, but never competes, with Chef Chemel's culinary creations.

Suzanne's diverse background before becoming a sommelier began on a farm in Wyoming, and includes R&D in Artificial Intelligence for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Switzerland, and at a thinktank in Dublin, Ireland.
 











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Enjoy Chez TJ Tuesday–Thursday 5:30 p.m.–9:00 p.m. and Friday–Saturday 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
We are located at 938 Villa Street, Mountain View, California. Phone 650.964.7466.

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