Reverie Reborn: How Chef Johnny Spero Rebuilt His Dream Restaurant After a Tragic Fire

The Ultimate Dish

In today’s episode, we speak with our guest Chef Johnny Spero, owner of Reverie and Bar Spero in Washington, D.C.

Chef Johnny takes us through his remarkable culinary journey, starting at the age of 16 when he worked alongside James Beard award-winning Chef Johnny Monis. He then staged at the renowned Noma in Copenhagen and later became the Executive Chef at José Andrés’ Minibar in D.C. These formative experiences culminated in the opening of his own restaurant, Reverie, a personal and intimate expression of his travels and talents, followed by Bar Spero, a Seafood Bar and Grill in D.C.'s East End. However, at the pinnacle of his career, a tragic fire demolished Reverie, altering the course of his life.

Join us as Chef Johnny shares how he rose from the ashes to rebuild his dream restaurant and the invaluable lessons he learned along the way.

Chapters

1. Reverie Reborn: How Chef Johnny Spero Rebuilt His Dream Restaurant After a Tragic Fire (00:00:00)

2. Summer in D.C. (00:02:53)

3. Authentic Transparency (00:05:15)

4. Inspiration for Reverie (00:10:51)

5. A Motorcycle Heist (00:12:35)

6. Staying out of Trouble, Getting into Food (00:15:48)

7. A Naughty Kid Finds Fine Dining (00:19:18)

8. Diving into Dining and Denmark (00:20:58)

9. Learning on the Job (00:27:38)

10. An Identity of Time and Place (00:33:13)

11. John Shields (00:36:01)

12. The Responsibility of Owning a Restaurant (00:39:35)

13. I Don't Chase Stars (00:43:06)

14. Climbing from the Ashes (00:47:51)

15. The Final Table (00:55:50)

16. A Presence in the Restaurant (01:00:12)

17. Johnny Spero's Ultimate Dish (01:03:26)