Chef John Raymond – Owner

Gardens of peach trees, cherry trees and pear trees. Fishing and hunting. It’s childhood memories like these that have fueled Chef John Raymond’s passion for food.

Making his industry debut at 15 as a dishwasher (the same restaurant where he met his wife of 14 years) John learned his way around the kitchen. After cooking his way through college at the University of Wisconsin-Madison he decided to pursue cooking at a professional level. Leaving Madison ten credits shy of a Political Science degree, John joined an apprenticeship program offered by the ACF of Milwaukee. Concentrating on multiple cooking philosophies, the majority of his training came from understanding and learning the cultures and cuisines of the entire world.

With opportunities arising from coast to coast, John and his wife began comprising the idea of opening a restaurant like Roots in their hometown state. He and his long-time friend and organic farmer Joe Schmidt opened Roots in 2004 as the only farmer-chef owned restaurant in the state. In 2009, John took over as sole owner. He continues to have a strong relationship with Joe and his farm.