Meet Juan Henry Montier III | Catering and Event Decor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Juan Henry Montier III and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Juan Henry, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
Chez Montier is a chef-driven boutique catering company co-owned by me and my wife, Judith Service Montier. At Chez Montier, we believe every event should be a joyous celebration of life. We create incredible food, beautifully presented and flawlessly served. We combine that with floral arrangements, lighting and event decor – all designed to create one-of-a kind experiences for discerning clients. Our food is a sophisticated, creative and unexpected blending of international foods and unique flavor profiles. The inspiration for Chez Montier was born out of my background as an architect and interior designer. I developed a flair for cooking and designing at an early age. My parents, both doctors, were often too busy to spend time in the kitchen, so I learned the fundamentals of cooking from our housekeeper. While my friends were watching cartoons, I was learning how to bake bread and make the perfect meringue. My TV heroes were Graham Kerr (The Galloping Gourmet), and Julia Childs and it was by watching them that I developed a passion for cooking.

As fate would have it, in college at Kansas State, my roommate was a Food Science major. As part of his coursework, he would butcher every week and he would bring back the unused meats. On Sundays, we were responsible for our own meals. Most students relied on pizza, ramen noodles and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for dinner, but Phil and I would rent the kitchen in our dorm and make everything from gourmet Omelets and London Broil to Duck à L’orange for our dinners. We became lifelong friends.

Although I worked exclusively as an architect and interior designer and was recognized in the Atlanta design community for my award-winning work, to the delight of my friends and family, I was always cooking and experimenting with recipes.

For years, people encouraged me to take my cooking to a professional level and in 2004, I did just that. After a four-week stint on ABC The View‘s “Next Celebrity Chef Contest,” I began to leverage my foundation in interior design, evolving my service into a unique offering of Food, Décor, and Lifestyle. Chez Montier, which means “House of Montier,” is the intersection of my passion in these three areas. My wife and business partner, Judith, who I met on a blind date while we were both working for the Olympics, lovingly refers to me as a “male Martha Stewart.”

What should our readers know about your business?
There are a few things that make Chez Montier unique. For one, since Chez Montier is a second career, I am doing something that truly reflects my passions.Because of my design background, I look at cuisine through the lens of an artist with presentation being as important as flavor. Just as I did in my architectural and design work, I bring a unique, holistic approach to food presentation. I like to say that I “design the gift of food in every bite.”

Another point of distinction that sets Chez Montier apart is that, while most chefs write out their menu ideas, I draw, sketch and often render my menu concepts. Our clients love that I bring a complete, designed vision to their events which includes how the food will look and be presented, how the environment will look and feel, and how guests will flow through the space.

Finally, what makes Chez Montier unique is not only my skills and talents but those of my wife and business partner, Judith. We have been referred to as “Atlanta’s Culinary Couple.” We have a deep love, respect, and appreciation for each other, for what we do, and for what each of us brings to the table. This is evident to clients when they meet us. She is definitely the yin to my yang. Judith says that, “I am the art, and she is the science.”

We believe in doing an A+ plus job every time we hit the kitchen or arrive for an event. We know that when we don’t settle for less, our clients get more. This comes full circle because happy clients create the foundation of our business. If they love us, our food and our service, they’ll tell a friend.

Our work is hard, but it is extremely gratifying. When you love what you do, working hard is a joy and not drudgery.

We are fortunate to have worked with a number of private, corporate and non profit clients including Emory University, BrightHouse, Morehouse School of Medicine, Dior, Tiffany’s and more. Highlights include, being part of the catering team for Super Bowl LIII and the Tyler Perry Studios Grand Opening.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The first thing I would do is take them to the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. Most people have heard Atlanta referred to as the Birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement but

Georgia Aquarium

I would take them to all the great parks, Piedmont Park, Centennial Park, eat at Legal Seafood for lunch and attend a concert at Philips Arena.

Dinner at The Ritz Carlton, High Museum of Art, show at The Tabernacle

Flying Biscuit for breakfast and then experience the Botanical Gardens, Chops Lobster Bar

Happy Hour at Pacific Rim

Sushi Avenue, Eddie’s Attic

Dekalb Farmers Market

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
When I was young, my mother, a psychiatrist, decided that I needed some occupational therapy to keep me out of trouble after school. She would send me to spend afternoons with my 90-year old Grant Aunt Prudence. Aunt Prudence was an amazing cook. She had me making bread with her and if you’ve ever kneaded dough, you know the smell of yeast that’s released when you push down into the dough. I found it intoxicating and I was hooked. My time with Aunt Prudence nurtured my passion for food which has become my love language. One of our much-anticipated family traditions is making Aunt Prudence’s Potato Yeast Rolls for the holidays. My shout out definitely goes to Aunt Prudence.

Website: https://www.chezmontier.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chezmontier/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juan-h-montier-iii-02b6ab32/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/chezmontier

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChezMontier/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/chez-montier-decatur-2?osq=Chez+Montier

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzyHGn4BKF3ZoPQf001WXRg/videos

Image Credits
Photos Courtesy of Chez Montier