Chef Biography | Recipes | Tips for Chefs
Jay Cotrell
Jay Cotrell comes from a long line of great cooks, but credits his grandmother as being the single greatest influence for sparking his interest in cooking. Jay has always enjoyed the restaurant business and has worked in a variety of restaurants since high school. He enjoys making people happy through the food he creates.
Jay graduated from the Columbus State Community College Chef Apprenticeship Program and won several awards in student cooking competitions; including Apprentice of the Year. He started at Cameron Mitchell Restaurants' Asian concept, Molly Woo's, during his first year in his apprenticeship program. He then moved on to Marcella’s in the Short North for the grand opening in 2007, and worked his way up to becoming Executive Chef. During his time at Marcella’s, the restaurant received the American Culinary Federation Achievement of Excellence award. Currently, Jay resides as the Executive Chef at M, Cameron Mitchell's marquee restaurant located in downtown Columbus.
Jay Cotrell’s favorite part of being the Executive Chef at M is that it is the most challenging career he has ever had. He focuses on staying current with culinary trends while staying ahead of the city. When Jay is away from the kitchen preparing delectable dishes, he enjoys spending time with his partner, friends, and enjoys relaxing nights at home. His advice to aspiring chefs is to “surround yourself with great people, cook with passion and always strive to be better”.