During his tenure at NECI, Jon completed a six-month culinary internship at Mr. B’s Bistro in the historic New Orleans French Quarter, where he acquired his Creole flare. He graduated from NECI in 1997 and returned to Fort Worth where he honed his cooking skills. After two years at local upscale restaurants, Jon initiated plans to open his own signature restaurant in his beloved hometown of Fort Worth and in 2001 Bonnell’s Fine Texas Cuisine opened its doors to the public.

Chef Bonnell has been honored as a “Rising Star of American Cuisine” by the James Beard Foundation and as a “Rising Star” by The Dallas Morning News, where he won the Dallas Food and Wine Festival’s Chef Competition in 2004.