Chicago-based chef, master of live-fire cooking, and a modern torchbearer of Mexican culinary heritage.

ABOUT JONATHAN

Chef Jonathan Zaragoza grew up on Chicago’s South Side in a family where cooking was more than a profession — it was the center of daily life. His earliest memory of the kitchen involves standing on a step stool at five years old, helping his mother stir eggs. By twelve, he was tending the fire in the family’s backyard wood oven, learning to make birria — a roasted goat specialty from Jalisco — using techniques passed down through generations.

In 2007, his family opened Birrieria Zaragoza, the now Michelin Bib Gourmand–recognized restaurant that helped introduce traditional birria to a broader American audience. Growing up in that kitchen shaped Jonathan’s understanding of food not just as craft, but as culture, memory, and identity.

Jonathan’s culinary path quickly expanded beyond the family restaurant. He trained in some of Chicago’s most respected kitchens, including Sepia and Sixteen, gaining Michelin-level experience before becoming the executive chef of Masa Azul at just 22. Along the way, his curiosity led him deeper into Mexico’s regional foodways, traveling throughout the country to study the techniques, ingredients, and traditions that continue to influence his cooking today.

His work has been featured in Netflix’s Taco Chronicles, Food & Wine (where his barbacoa recipe appeared on the cover), and FX’s The Bear, where his family’s restaurant earned an on-screen nod. He has cooked at culinary events around the world and collaborated with leading food and beverage brands that share his respect for craftsmanship, heritage, and creativity. Chef JZ Media + Bio

Today, Jonathan’s work lives both in the kitchen and online. Through his digital platform @goatboyintl, he shares recipes, technique, and the stories behind Mexican food traditions with a rapidly growing global audience. His YouTube channel and recipe blog continue to expand, offering a deeper look at the methods, flavors, and cultural context behind the dishes he grew up cooking.

Known for his live-fire cooking and deep respect for heritage techniques, Jonathan moves comfortably between the worlds of restaurant kitchens, media, and modern food storytelling. Whether he’s roasting whole animals over open flame, teaching a traditional salsa technique, or collaborating with brands and chefs around the world, his work reflects a commitment to honoring the past while pushing Mexican cuisine forward.

At the heart of everything he does is a simple philosophy: food carries stories — and those stories deserve to be told well.