Jeremy Ford developed a love for cooking at a very young age. From watching The Galloping Gourmet on television to spending time in the kitchen with his grandmother, Ford was always enamored with the idea of cooking, specifically when it came to fine dining. “I loved how the Galloping Gourmet was so enthusiastic about the dishes he would try, and then he'd go home and try to recreate them,” says Ford, who knew instantly that he wanted to do the same. His influence definitely rubbed off, because if you were to meet Ford in person, you’d immediately pick up on his outgoing and excitable nature as he’s always bright and full of energy.
He worked a few odd jobs before landing a gig at the age of 16 cooking at Matthew’s, a four-diamond Mediterranean-style restaurant, in his hometown of Jacksonville, Florida. “It’s where I learned how to properly cook shellfish, and to mise en place my station, and how to wrap a container perfectly,” says Ford. “All of my basic fine dining moments were taught to me there.”
Next, he moved to Los Angeles, training under Christophe Émé at L’Orangerie, where he was introduced to French techniques. He then honed his seafood skills at Patina Restaurant under Joachim Splichal while manning the fish station.
After five years with Max, Ford became executive chef at Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Matador Room at The Miami Beach EDITION, which opened to rave reviews in 2014. Two years later, he competed on Top Chef and won Season 13.
Following his Top Chef win, Ford partnered with Miami’s Grove Bay Hospitality Group to open Stubborn Seed in 2017. With a menu that’s heavily focused on season fare, using as many locally sourced ingredients as possible, Ford has made a name for himself as one of Miami’s most talented chefs. The menu at Stubborn Seed evolves regularly, featuring standout dishes such as housemade ricotta gnudi with Aleppo confit squash, hazelnut 'everything' crumble, winter truffle, and caramelized onion under a Manchego umami foam, as well as torched tuna tartare garnished with handpicked herbs and flowers. Building on the success of Stubborn Seed, Ford opened a second location in February 2025 at Resorts World Las Vegas.
In 2022, Ford was named a semi-finalist for a James Beard Foundation Awards in the category of “Best Chef: South”. Later that year, the Michelin Guide debuted in Florida, awarding Stubborn Seed a Michelin star, which it has retained for three consecutive years. Stubborn Seed also received FSR Magazine’s inaugural award for being recognized as one of America’s Top 50 Independent Restaurants of 2023. In 2024, the restaurant also earned the AAA Four Diamond Recognition for the Four Cs: Cleanliness, Comfort, Cuisine, and Consistency.
In addition to Stubborn Seed and Ford’s Farm, Ford is also the chef behind The Butcher’s Club at the PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens and the newly opened Salt & Ash at Hawk’s Cay Resort in Duck Key, Florida.
