Kurtis Jantz
Kurtis Jantz was born on the small island of Nago, Okinawa, Japan, son to an American Army officer. A long way from Japan, Jantz graduated from culinary school in Kansas City, focusing on advanced Hospitality Business. With world travel already in his DNA, Jantz moved on to stage and accepted key positions in restaurants throughout the Netherlands Antilles, Europe, New Orleans, and South Florida.
In 2003, Jantz was named Executive Chef of Trump International Beach Resort, an oceanfront Forbes four-star resort located in Sunny Isles, Florida. In addition to his role as Executive Chef, Jantz assumed the role of Food & Beverage Director and Pool & Beach Director, which was a solid path to Operations Director, focusing on detail in all areas of the resort.
In 2015, he joined the Altitude Management Group as the Food & Beverage Operations Director taking on the additional role of overseeing the opening and operating of the Porsche Design Tower Miami and The Residences by Armani Casa.
In between stints, Jantz has earned notable accolades in hospitality, including the 2006 Bronze medal at the ACF Culinary Challenge, The “2008 Rising Star Chef South Florida,” “2008 Rising Star Hotel Chef Award,” and “2007 Philanthropic Chef of the Year.” The Chaine des Rotisseurs named Jantz the youngest Culinaire of the Chaine des Rotisseurs’ Miami Beach Chapter in 2006 and awarded him with the “Best Dining Experience of 2006.” He holds his Advanced Sommelier certificate at the USSA and has taught Modern Culinary and Hospitality seminars to students and peers in Mexico, Venezuela, Colombian, the Caribbean, and the Bahamas.
In 2021, Jantz joined the Lost Boy & Co team and was named Director of Operations, overseeing the culinary operations for the groups growing portfolio of restaurants and bars. These include Downtown neighborhood staple Lost Boy Dry Goods, Tropezon, and Fox’s Lounge, in addition to two new concepts coming to Miami and one in Austin later this year. In his new role, Jantz has become an instrumental team member in conceptualizing the culinary menus for each Lost Boy & Co establishment, ensuring they match the caliber that the groups’ beverage programs are known for. Jantz works closely with owners Chris Hudnall and Randy Alonso to honor their commitment to delivering welcoming, approachable concepts that merge the neighborhood atmosphere with attention to detail in guest-driven settings.
Active in the community, Jantz works closely with organizations such as Project Newborn, March of Dimes, Easter Seals, and The Florida Heart Research Institute, including teaching hands-on the ‘Craft of Cooking’ with children’s culinary’ demonstrations at local schools.
