Story

“my cooking is the accumulation of my life and learning.”

Welcome to Javi’s Kitchen - the first project of Chef Javier Villatoro in New York’s Capital District.

Chef Javier (better know as Javi) grew up in Honduras on his family farm where he always felt a strong passion for transforming the food he produced into nourishing meals for his community. Javi’s father continues to manage the family’s 600+ acres while his mother wakes up every morning at 4am to make tortillas and warm the oven. This diligence and inspiration drives Javi to this day.

In 2005, Javi moved to San Francisco, California, to explore how far he could take his culinary capabilities in one of the world’s best food-centric cities. His first job was with the nationally renowned and locally beloved, Bi-Rite Market - known for their exceptional food and impact in the farm-to-grocery movement. As Bi-Rite expanded from one market to a family of businesses, which included: two markets, a creamery and bakeshop, a farm, a non-profit and a robust catering and event outlet, Javi grew, too, becoming the company’s Executive Production Chef in charge of culinary direction for Bi-Rite Catering and Events.

Javi quickly became known for his progressive culinary vision, exceptional leadership and creative seasonal menus specializing in local, organic, and sustainable food principles and practices. He is trained in California cuisine, and has an impressive knack for seamlessly incorporating global flavors in a way that feels both familiar and surprisingly fresh. For Javi, it’s simple: “I love to make people happy through food.”

At Bi-Rite Market, Javi met his wife, Casey Carroll, a Delmar native, who worked in Catering Sales and Marketing at the time. Together, they spent nearly 10 years working in San Francisco’s food scene before having their daughter and moving to the Capital District to be closer to family in 2018.

It is a dream come true for both Javi and Casey to be able to offer exceptional culinary experiences and delicious food with heart to the community they feel so lucky to call home.