Born and raised in Maryland, Spero began his culinary career at the young age of 16. Early on, he had the opportunity to work alongside James Beard award-winning Chef Johnny Monis, learning that the best restaurants fine-tune every aspect of the experience—not just the food. Just two years later, Spero worked at Chef John Shields’ acclaimed fine-dining restaurant, Town House, before eventually finding a role as the Executive Chef at José Andrés’ Minibar in D.C. During his tenure, Minibar received a four-star review from Washington Post critic Tom Sietsema and Spero was celebrated as the Eater “Chef of the Year”. He also represented D.C. as one of ten contestants on the Netflix competition The Final Table. Never one to stop learning, he then returned to Europe to stage at Mugaritz, a top-ten contender for the “World’s 50 Best Restaurants” whose playful presentation and creativity inspired Spero to begin planning a restaurant of his own. Opened in October 2018, Reverie was the result of more than ten years of daydreaming, an intimate and personal expression of his travels and talents. The restaurant earned its first Michelin star in the spring of 2022, just weeks before the opening of Spero’s second independent venture—Bar Spero—a seafood bar and grill in D.C.’s East End. Prior to its closure in September 2023, Bar Spero was recognized as a James Beard semifinalist for Best New Restaurant in 2023, and was featured in nationwide lists such as Robb Report and Bon Appétit, and named “Best New Restaurant” by Esquire and Robb Report. As Executive Chef at Passage at the Inn at Langley, Spero brings a consistent depth of craft to the Pacific Northwest: working in close relationship with the farmers, fishers, and foragers of this region, and informed by a curiosity that has never stopped traveling. The cooking is marked by reverence, restraint, and nuanced simplicity. Instagram: @johnnyspero.