The Team

“A deeply held belief in the highest standards of excellence. And an insistence on having fun.”

Chef Austin Johnson and Master Sommelier Dustin Wilson have built their careers in some of America’s—and the world’s—best restaurants, including Eleven Madison Park in New York City, the Little Nell in Aspen, Canlis in Seattle and Frenchie in Paris, with additional formative experiences in documentary filmmaking and Alaskan salmon fishing, respectively.

A chance meeting in France spurred a friendship and collaboration that led to the door of 1 White Street, an address with its own stories to tell.

CHEF

AUSTIN JOHNSON

Austin Johnson began cooking in his hometown of Omaha at age 14. At 20, he moved to Indianapolis and then to Seattle where he joined Chef Jason Franey’s kitchen at Canlis. From there, in pursuit of a deeper understanding of Alaskan salmon fishing, he spent six months at sea on a commercial fishing vessel, cooking for the five-person crew. In 2010, Austin moved to New York City to work with Chef Daniel Humm at his 3 Michelin-starred restaurant Eleven Madison Park. He traveled overseas to stage at Noma, in Copenhagen, and Oud Sluis, in the Netherlands, before rejoining Humm in New York to open the NoMad restaurant, where he stayed for four years. Austin later relocated to Paris to become Executive Chef at restaurant Frenchie; he earned a Michelin star while running the group’s three restaurants.

MASTER SOMMELIER

DUSTIN WILSON

Dustin Wilson is an entrepreneur and Master Sommelier who in 2016 co-founded Verve Wine, an online-focused wine retail business with physical locations in New York City, San Francisco, and Chicago. His sommelier career spans some of the top restaurants across the US – Frasca Food & Wine in Boulder, CO, The Little Nell in Aspen and RN74 in San Francisco. For years, Dustin served as Wine Director of the 3 Michelin-starred restaurant, Eleven Madison Park. He also had a leading role in the critically acclaimed wine documentary, SOMM, and was later featured in the film’s sequels, SOMM: Into the Bottle and SOMM 3. He has over 20 years of experience in hospitality with deep connections and a passion for the industry.