Jeff Tunks is one D.C. chef who needs no introduction. A powerhouse in the local dining scene, Tunks — executive chef and co-owner of DC Coast, Ceiba, Acadiana and PassionFish — puts his culinary stamp on everything he touches, including his new venture District Commons. Not only that, this high-profile man with his many talents has won the coveted Chef of the Year award by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington for 2003-2004. Many D.C. foodies may think of Tunks as a New Orleans man — he was a prime mover in raising disaster-relief funds and awareness to help Louisiana locals after Hurricane Katrina — but Tunks is a Midwesterner by birth. Like many of his colleagues, he attended the Culinary Institute of America but he is different in that he graduated with top honors and received the Frances L. Roth award. From there, Tunks did his externship under Dean Ferring at the Veranda Club in Atlanta, transferring with him to the Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas, where Tunks worked at Mistral, a sister restaurant on the complex. Later, he moved around to other top-notch restaurants in various parts of the country. At the Grill Room at the Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans, Tunks earned highest marks, Mobil 5 Stars. Working with other acclaimed chefs, Tunks began to form the foundation of his cooking credo: quality ingredients plus refined cooking skills equal primo meals.

Ending up in D.C. about 15 years ago, Tunks and partners began their local restaurant group with DC Coast. Several restaurants with very different menus later, Tunks has arrived at what may be his the jewel in his chef’s toque: District Commons. “I wanted to do something that was new with great dynamics,” he said, “and one that was chef-driven [rather than a chain]. … We wanted a concept that would be approachable, affordable and that offered great quality.”