Justin Petruce, along with his brother, Jonathan, is the co-owner and co-Executive Chef of Petruce et al., an inviting kitchen and bar in Center City Philadelphia. The brothers, along with longtime friend and wine expert Tim Kweeder, opened the restaurant in December 2013.

At the restaurant, Justin oversees the kitchen staff and menu development. The menu focuses on the natural flavors of seasonal ingredients, with added depths of smokiness imparted by the kitchen’s centerpieces: a wood-burning oven and Argentine-style grill. A thoughtful beverage program completes the experience, which is at once casual and refined, set among the rustic exposed brick, wood and steel of the centuries-old building.

Prior to opening Petruce et al., Justin served as chef de cuisine at Fish, where his elegant cooking was featured in Art Culinaire magazine. He has twice been invited to cook at the prestigious James Beard House, and has led well-regarded kitchens in Philadelphia and Chicago. He is a 2007 graduate of the Culinary Arts program at Johnson & Wales University.

In his spare time, Justin and his wife, Cali, enjoy foraging to find what edibles Philadelphia has to offer, as well as experimenting with pickling and fermentation.