Our Team
Juan Juarez
Executive Chef
Originally from Puebla, Mexico, Chef Juan moved to New York in 1986 to join his father, who was already embedded in the Manhattan restaurant scene. He began his culinary career at Saloon Restaurant in Philadelphia, honing his craft under the mentorship of acclaimed chefs including Alex Rodriguez, Aarón Sánchez and Joseph Realmuto.
Chef Juan found a home on Long Island, joining the team at Nick & Toni’s Café in East Hampton as sous chef, then chef de cuisine, where he led the team for 10 years. In 2019, he was asked by the same group to help develop a new Mexican concept, Coche Comedor. He jumped at the opportunity to bring his knowledge of authentic Mexican cuisine to the Hamptons, with recipes inspired by his mother and mother-in-law. During his time running Coche Comedor, Chef Juan delighted in growing his own fresh ingredients, from tomatillos to jicama, cilantro and ají amarillo chili peppers.
In 2023, after several busy and happy years getting Coche Comedor off the ground, Chef Juan relocated back to New York City to be closer to his family. As Executive Chef at Nizza, he brings with him years of experience building a good team, and a focus on creating an environment that makes people happy to come to work.
In his spare time, Chef Juan enjoys spending time with his family, traveling home to Mexico and cooking his favorite traditional recipes. He is especially proud of his classic Oaxacan mole, a complex dish made with more than 25 ingredients.
Andy D'Amico
Culinary Managing Partner
Chef Andy has been captivating New York diners for over four decades, with creative cooking that can be traced back to his big Italian family, the food of his childhood, and many years of Mediterranean-focused travel.
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Andy started in the kitchens of prestigious hotels, from The Parker House in Boston, to The Berkshire Place in New York, before landing the pivotal position as sous chef at the Santo Family’s Sign of the Dove, one of New York’s prettiest and most romantic restaurants in 1982. It was there that he developed his love of the honest Mediterranean flavors so prevalent in Southern French and Northern Italian cuisine — hallmarks that would become his signature.
Chef Andy thrived at Sign of the Dove, eventually being promoted to Executive Chef of the Santo Family Group. Along the way, he enjoyed two 3-star New York Times reviews by Brian Miller in 1988, and again in 1994, exalting his use of the ingredients and flavors of Europe, Asia and the Middle East in his dishes.
Making a move to the Tour de France group, now Chef Driven Hospitality, Andy partnered with Simon Oren to open Nice Matin in 2003 as Executive Chef and Partner, featuring an inventive menu of classic dishes and new recipes inspired by a fact-finding trip he took to the South of France. Nice Matin was an instant critical success, receiving 2 stars from The New York Times and Crain’s New York, and 2 1/2 stars from The Daily News and New York Post. In November 2003, New York Magazine food editor Gillian Duffy named him one of the “Best Chefs of 2003.”
Now, Chef Andy oversees a team of Executive Chefs and Chefs de Cuisine for 5 of Chef Driven’s concepts, alongside regular support and consultation throughout the wider group. His goal remains the same as when he first started cooking — to maintain the integrity of the food and offer patrons an honest dining experience with the best tasting food possible. “My greatest food memory is from my trip to Emilia-Romana where I experienced an amazing meal cooked by three generations of Italian women in a little farm house. I want to impart that feeling in all my restaurants whether it’s Marseillaise cuisine at Marseille, Ligurian cuisine at Nizza or burgers at 5 Napkin Burger.”
Aviram Turgeman
Beverage Director
Aviram Turgeman is the Beverage Director for all Chef Driven's ventures including Nice Matin, Marseille, Nizza, Dagon and more.
Aviram left his hometown in Israel in 2001 to join New York City’s hospitality scene where he learned the restaurant business from the ground up. Growing up in a gastronomically focused family, he always had an innate passion for the wine space. In 2003 he joined the American Sommelier Association, where he studied and taught. In 2009, he successfully completed the comprehensive WSET Diploma in Wine and Spirits, both of which are an integral part of the ever going beverage expert career.
Aviram has received the Grand Award of Excellence by Wine Spectator Magazine for the (2,500+ bottle) selection at Nice Matin every year since 2014. His background and passion for hospitality is the main force behind how he chooses wine and curates for each venue. Regardless of restaurant concept and region, you’ll find something that pairs perfectly with every menu item.
Aviram is also the mastermind behind Chef Driven's innovative cocktail lists. Aviram always goes for an imaginative take on classic favorites. His menu offers everything from Martinis and Negronis to Highballs and Margaritas but with a unique creative touch.