Neve, who most recently served as the Executive Chef at Eataly USA in Boston since the restaurant’s opening, has more than a decade of experience producing high-end cuisine. Prior to Eataly, Neve worked for Mario Batali’s B&B Hospitality Group and B&B Ristorante as Chef di Cuisine, Culinary Director, and Executive Chef. As the 2018 Chef-in-Residence, Neve will oversee the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to providing fresh, regionally-sourced food for the resident artists. His residency will begin in early January and run through December 2018.  

 

“I am excited to welcome Jason, a Florida native, to the Residency team,” said Ann Brady, Rauschenberg Residency director, “Over the past two years, the Foundation has continued to recognize chefs as culinary artists and facilitate relationships with local farmers. Jason follows in the footsteps of our previous and current chefs-in-residence who have imprinted the program with their creativity, knowledge and passion for food; I am confident that Jason will not only continue to meet and exemplify those high standards, he will contribute in a meaningful way that embodies his professional experience and personal goals.”

 

Launched in 2016, the Rauschenberg Residency’s Chef-in-Residence is selected annually through an application process that supports chefs participation in an active artist community, while also pursuing their own culinary interests and research. The Chef-in-Residence is responsible for preparing meals for the artists-in-residence, maintaining the Residency’s zero waste goal, and integrating produce both grown onsite from its vegetable and herb garden and from locally sourced purveyors with the same core values. The Chef-in-Residence has opportunities to develop and participate in community engagement opportunities around sustainability and food justice in the local communities of Lee County, as well as collaborate with the artists.

 

“We started the Chef-in-Residence program partly in response to the resident artists’ appeals for more fresh, local Florida food, and to prioritize the Foundation’s emphasis on environmental conservation and stewardship. The program was built in the spirit of Robert Rauschenberg’s longstanding concern for the safekeeping of the environment, as well as his love of food and cooking for family and friends,” said Sharon Ullman, Deputy Director of the Foundation. “We are very excited to have Jason join us in 2018. His culinary skills, and his commitment to community and sustainable cooking embody our goals for the Residency.” 

 

Located on Captiva Island, the Rauschenberg Residency is a creative center that welcomes artists of all disciplines from around the world to live, work, and create. Each year over 60 artists and creative thinkers from a variety of disciplines, backgrounds, ages, and career levels are selected to advance their work in this highly collaborative, interdisciplinary environment. The property spans 20 acres and includes nine buildings, a 3,600-square-foot vegetable garden, and 12 beehives.