Robert St. John is the executive chef, president, and CEO of several restaurants in Mississippi. His food and devotion to his southern culinary roots have earned him national acclaim, as has his writing.

Robert began self syndicating his weekly newspaper column six years ago and quickly amassed a loyal and fanatical following. His work caught the attention of national media outlets such as Time magazine and National Public Radio, the latter of which said: “The Mississippi restaurateur, food columnist, and chef treats his subjects with humor and a lot of down-home conversation.”

He has been featured on the Food Network, The Travel Channel, and the Turner South network. He currently is developing two television projects.

Robert is a self-taught cook who was named the state’s top chef by Mississippi Magazine in 2006, 2007, and 2008. The Purple Parrot Café was named the best fine-dining restaurant in Mississippi in 2007 and just received a Four-Diamond rating from AAA.

He is past president and chairman of the board of the Mississippi Restaurant Association and currently serves on the board of directors of the Mississippi Arts Commission and The Mississippi Museum of Art. He also is on the National Chef’s Council for the Chef’s for Humanity Organization.