Raised under the San Diego sun, Chef John Cuevas found his passion for food early—around his family table and in his mother’s surfside sandwich shop. After training at The Scottsdale Culinary Institute, he honed his craft in some of Arizona and California’s top kitchens, including the acclaimed Mary Elaine’s at The Phoenician and The Montage Laguna Beach, where he rose to Executive Chef and earned a James Beard Foundation nomination for Best Chef: Pacific.

In 2018, John and his wife Julie opened MADRE Boutique Taqueria in Boise, Idaho—an elevated take on the family table experience. Drawing inspiration from his childhood dishes and classical training, Chef Cuevas crafts refined, ingredient-driven tacos and scratch-made fare that celebrate both tradition and innovation.