Damon Wise

Chef & Owner

Damon has cooked alongside some of the biggest names in food and is widely respected for his culinary talent, with longstanding industry relationships and unparalleled knowledge of restaurant operations, cooking, and Jerry Garcia.

Wise honed his culinary skills at some of the nation’s top restaurants, including The Greenbrier, Le Bec Fin, Lespinasse, Gramercy Tavern, Craft, and celebrated Paris restaurants Taillevent and Apicius.

In New York City, Wise opened French brasserie Lafayette where he was deemed a detail-oriented “ace technician” by The New York Times, and was awarded two stars for his cooking and leadership at Monkey Bar by the same publication. Wise has been praised for his accomplished cooking, and his knowledge of and appreciation for French cuisine has culminated with Maison Fête.

Wise is the chef and owner of Pineapple Express Barbecue and Oso Felipe, also in Montclair. He resides in Montclair with his wife, and three redheads (two children, and a Rhodesian Ridgeback), where he can be found playing guitar and plotting his next trip to France.