Nestled on the corner of E Gay Street and N High Street is Chouette, a Parisian paradise right here in the heart of Columbus. If you haven’t been already, you’re missing out on some of Ohio’s, and, frankly, the entire country’s, most authentic French cuisine.

At the helm of it all is internationally recognized, decorated, and trained Chef Jacques Sorci. Sorci serves as the Director of Culinary at Chouette, and he, along with Chouette, is a hidden gem in the bustling Columbus food scene.

We had the honor of sitting down and speaking with Sorci about his impressive culinary career, from humble beginnings in France to Michelin-starred restaurants across the globe, and now his work in Columbus. In less than two years, Sorci has helped bring global recognition to Chouette, even earning it a prestigious award that fewer than 25 restaurants worldwide have the honor of receiving.

But, before it all came a little boy with a dream of cooking.

Story of Sorci

“I was one of those kids who always wanted to cook, so it was never a question of what I’m going to do,” says Jacques Sorci, Chouette’s Director of Culinary. “My grandmother was very influential.”

When Sorci was a mere four years old, he was enamored with cooking alongside his grandmother, who had a strong Italian heritage. Her influence on him carried through to his college days, when he dreamed of becoming a chef. 

Sorci’s parents had initial hesitations, so they suggested going to hotel school first to get a grasp on every aspect of the industry. Sorci studied at The Hotel School of Thonon-les-Bains, where he practiced everything from waiting tables and cleaning rooms to, of course, cooking.

Sorci, a Frenchman born on the Swiss border, traveled extensively throughout his career.

“I’ve always been fascinated by travel and being exposed to other cultures.”

Sorci’s resume is colorful with international and luxury experience, with beginnings as a Demi Chef de Partie at Michelin-starred La Perle du Lac in Geneva to Chef de Partie at Michelin-starred Restaurant Salomon in France.

From there, Sorci amassed titles and experience in some of the most prestigious restaurants across the country.

In 2003, Sorci was inducted into the “The Maîtres Cuisiniers de France” association, and in 2004, into the “Académie Culinaire de France”. At the time, he had become an integral player in the Ritz-Carlton organization.

“I owe my career to the Ritz-Carlton. I was with them for about 19 years, I started when the company was small and growing,” says Sorci. “I became executive chef of the Ritz-Carlton in Tyson’s Corner.”

At the time, Sorci was 32 years old and going around the world opening up hotels for the Ritz-Carlton. Sorci toured Asia and the Middle East, circling back to New York for the Ritz-Carlton Battery Park opening after 9/11.

“I tell people, I don’t sound like once, but I feel like a New Yorker. New York is like going home.”

Sorci was the opening Executive Chef of the Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park for 10 years before he transitioned to Executive Chef of The Carlyle New York.

In 2013, Sorci participated in the rebirth of the New York Palace, which included reopening two restaurants, a full-scale gourmet pastry shop, three bars, and a private club.

He spent five years at the New York Palace before moving to Las Vegas and working for the Hakkasan Group, where he led the concept's global culinary program.

Once COVID hit, Sorci bounced around to other ventures, including leading the Arizona Biltmore culinary department and serving as the post-COVID reopening chef at the Rainbow Room in New York City.

“I wanted to go back into above-propery roles, and then Makeready contacted me.”

Sorci currently serves as the Culinary Director for Makeready, a Dallas-based hospitality company that curates and oversees a diverse catalog of hotels, restaurants, and retail brands. Sorci leads all of the culinary operations, including, of course, Chouette.

Sorci and Chouette

“I love what I do. I never feel like I’m going to work,” Sorci bares a genuine smile. “I enjoy the people aspect. You meet people from all walks of life. I had chefs who impacted my life positively, and I enjoy doing the same thing.”

To say Sorci is humble is far beyond an understatement. There’s this inimitable sparkle in his eye when he chats about his craft, certifying the passion he speaks of. He may shake off some of our praise, but he is, truly, the “who’s who” of French cuisine.

“My mom always told me, ‘Remember where you come from.’ I am one of the guys, and it’s very important for me to be one of the guys and work with everyone. I have done the ivory tower thing, but it’s not me,” Sorci says. “My leadership style is very positive, participative, and horizontal. I never write a menu by myself.”

Despite his extensive and impressive culinary history, part of what makes Sorci’s process so important and unique is its collaborative aspect. Where he could easily dismiss opinion, he invites curiosity and challenge.

A particular challenge Sorci recounts when curating the first few versions of Chouette’s menu was making French food approachable. Sorci tells us about a conversation he had with Chouette developer, Jeff Edwards.

“The first thing I said was ‘(Chouette) has to be approachable.’ French (food) is not always known as approachable.”

It’s common for diners to associate French cuisine with high-end restaurants serving proteins that aren’t common with American palettes, like escargot, duck, and steak tartare. Though these dishes are deliciously rich, our eyes glaze over the unfamiliar as we lean towards the French onion soup instead.

Chouette was designed to dispel that unfamiliarity and bring diners to Paris with traditional dishes without the guesswork. Sorci was passionate about featuring dishes prepared the exact same way as overseas.

“When I am here, people want to see me, and they all want to tell me about the time that they went to France and how (Chouette) is the same,” says Sorci. “We take them to France in our own way. It’s pretty simple, but it is a luxury to have a true French experience in Columbus.”

In April 2025, Chouette was awarded the prestigious “World’s French Restaurant” certification from the French Association of Master Restaurateurs (AFMR). Owner Jeff Edwards and Jacques Sorci attended the ceremony hosted at the Residence of the French Ambassador in Washington, D.C.

This culinary honor is overseen by the French state and granted only to restaurateurs who meet the specific grading criteria. Chouette underwent an audit by the World’s French Restaurant panel, which inspected every moment of the dining experience, from the welcome guests received as they walked in to the food and cleanliness.

Only 21 restaurants in the world have received this honor, and we are so lucky to have such a recognized and authentic experience right here in Columbus.

And we’re going to break down exactly how Sorci managed to bring France to Columbus.

The Experience

Sorci is heavily decorated in luxury dining experiences, from Michelin Star-rated restaurants to Five-Star Hotels. He has worked with some of the most notable names in the culinary industry and fed the mouths of A-list celebrities worldwide, but manages to make every diner at Chouette feel like a star.

“I feel like there’s a misconception sometimes about true luxury. It’s not expensive chandeliers, it’s about the experience and what really enlivens your senses while you are there.”

That’s why we can’t just label Chouette as a restaurant, but, truly, a luxurious dining experience. From the moment you walk in, you are greeted like a VIP and treated with attentive care for the rest of the night.

The space itself oozes luxury with its warm lighting, corner booths, and Instagram-worthy decor. Truly, you step in and forget all about the city around you.

The Food

“Everything is local, sustainable, and uncomplicated. I mean, look at where we are! We’re in Ohio, and there is an abundance of farms.”

Sorci tells us that nearly everything in the Chouette kitchen is locally sourced, save for two premium items.

“At first, we wanted to make bread, but it didn’t work out. We have a French bakery in New York City that makes a par-baked baguette just for us. We pop it in the oven, and it’s crunchy and beautiful— perfect with the fresh butter from Vermont.”

This specialty bread isn’t just authentic and a core part of the meal, but also part of the experience. Sorci mourns the practice of restaurants providing free bread at the beginning of the dining experience. At Chouette, they are proud of their bread, which is always served first and immediately elevates the evening.

As for the rest of the menu, Sorci had a particular vision for what Columbus diners might love.

“(The menu) is very approachable. I want it to be French, but I want it to be the vision of the customer’s French and what they think of as French.”

Sorci and his team openly listened to diners’ needs, adding and removing dishes as needed. When Chouette opened in August 2024, diners would come in asking for coq au vin, a traditional French stew featuring chicken, pearl onions, lardons, mushrooms, and noodles. Sorci assured them it would come around in the colder months, and once it did, he couldn’t take it off the menu.

“What’s important is that we want to offer our guests what they want to eat, not what the chef wants them to eat,” Sorci smiles. “Who am I to tell you what you are going to eat!”

And while we also won’t tell you what to eat, we can certainly guide you through our perfect meal at Chouette.

Editor’s Eats

You walk into this dreamy Parisian restaurant and feel like you’re in the heart of the City of Love. Luckily, you’re greeted with an authentic and crispy basket of bread to begin your meal. While you munch on that, you peruse the menu and can’t land on just one thing. Well, don’t settle! Order our perfect meal:

For the Table: Marinated Niçoises Olives. A luxurious addition to the meal that, naturally, pairs well with a martini. Pair these with any three cheeses off the menu, and you have yourself a charcuterie board to hold the table over while you chat over drinks.

Main: It’s impossible to choose just one, so take someone you love with you and go half and half on The Authentic Bouillabaisse Marseillaise and an order of Steak Frites with the 7oz Filet. The Bouillabaisse is Chouette’s signature dish, which Sorci insists is exactly the way you’d order it in Marseille. It’s delicious and a must-try.

And while we wish we could eat it all in one sitting, you’ll have to come back the following weekend to try the French Onion Soup (it’s some of the best in the city) and the Coq Au Vin.

Dessert: There’s always room for dessert, and we can never just order one, so go for Chouette’s finest Apple Tarte Tatin and the Vanilla Crème Brulée. Both are delicious, but the Apple Tarte Tatin takes the cake here, serving as one of the best-sellers on the menu.

“One of the things that I enjoy the least and what gets me really upset is, I hate to disappoint people,” says Sorci. “I really enjoy pleasing people. I love it when the room is full at night, and you see all of these smiles. I want people to feel that this was worth the experience, and they want to tell friends, and they want to come back.”

There’s a certain charm you’ll only find at Chouette, and that all begins with Chef Jacques Sorci. But, of course, he’ll be the first one to remind you that everyone at Chouette, regardless of what position they work, helps fulfill this luxurious dining experience.

If you haven’t already, you have to stop into Chouette on 66 N High Street in Downtown Columbus. Chouette is a one-of-a-kind concept you won’t find anywhere else, and we couldn’t recommend it more.

Visit Chouette!

66 N High St, Columbus

Website, Instagram, Facebook