CHEF JAVIER ZUNIGA
Born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, Javier started his culinary training at the Centro Venezolano de Capacitacion Gastronomica. After graduating, he worked as a production chef for Alto, which was named by San Pellegrino as one of the top 50 restaurants in Latin America. After moving to New York two years later, he proceeded to cook at some of the most renowned restaurants in the city, including Wildair, Contra (1 Michelin Star), and People's Wine Bar. Currently, along with wife Jesse Merchant Zuniga, he is the Chef/Co-Owner of Bad Habit, a high-end ice cream brand, and Caleta, a small plates concept due to open in January 2023.
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Career Highlights
Alto
Wildair
Contra
People's Wine Bar
RESERVE A DINING EXPERIENCE WITH RESIDENT
PRIVATE DINING EXPERIENCE
Private dinners, corporate gatherings, birthdays, brand activations, and more — all planned with Michelin-trained chefs, exclusive NYC venues, and seamless full-service production.
What to expect when planning an event with Resident and our Michelin-trained chefs:
One-night-only menus created exclusively for your event
Chef-led presentation of each dish, ingredient, and inspiration
Hosted in iconic and exclusive NYC venues
Designed to bring people closer, one course at a time
*Subject to chef availability, we offer a broader roster of Michelin-trained chefs to choose from.
TICKETED DINING EXPERIENCE
A chef-guided, one-night-only menu served in intimate New York venues to a small group of guests. Not private — intentionally shared, and made memorable by the people you meet.
What to expect when attending a ticketed event at Resident:
A dining format crafted for connection, novelty, and convivial moments
A chef-guided, one-night-only menu shared by design
Not private — intentionally communal, powered by new connections
Intimate New York venues that spark conversation before the first course lands
*Subject to chef availability, we offer a broader roster of Michelin-trained chefs to choose from.
