OUR team
EXECUTIVE CHEF | jean paul “jp” medina
Jean Paul Medina, known to locals as “JP,” was born in Colombia to a lineage of chefs and bakers. JP’s family transplanted from Bogota to Queens, NY, where his culinary journey was born. Medina’s childhood was spent alongside his mother in the kitchen, a revolving door of family members seeking the comforts and pleasures of home cooking.
Medina climbed the ranks through the BLT group where he honed classic French techniques as rotisseur and poissonnier. He subsequently joined the ranks of L’apicio, Hill Country Barbecue Market, and Washington Market Tavern. In short, he worked in many of the best NYC kitchens, igniting his passion for cooking. It was at the latter where he met Chef Aksel Theilkuhl, and the two found kinship in their aspirations to abandon a corporate culinary structure to seek a connection to the local landscape and community of the farmland looming across the Catskill mountains.
Chef JP joined Theilkuhl as the opening Chef de Cuisine of The DeBruce in 2018 before transitioning to becoming Executive Chef at the North Branch Inn. He started to attract and keep fans dedicated to his style of cooking while finding his forever home with his wife and two dogs. He continued to build his reputation throughout the area with additional ventures. In January 2024, Chef Medina rejoins to helm our national and global award-winning culinary program as Executive Chef.
EXperience manager | Michele Molier
Michele Molier is a devoted hospitalitarian and a food and beverage enthusiast. A born and raised “Queens kid” and NYC native, she grew up exploring and taking in all the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of the city that made her. Michele’s hospitality experience started in a pizzeria at a young age, where her passion for people and plates was ignited. That spark took her to various outlets of the hospitality scene, from French bistros to fine dining.
While studying theater, Michele discovered a strong desire to examine and enhance the human experience. Although she loved the stage, she longed for an environment that didn’t a require a script, but where she could still put on a show. She dove into restaurants, knowing that balance awaited her in dining rooms across NYC.
Michele is as comfortable in a dive bar as she is in Michelin-starred restaurants, and her professional experience suggests the same. Along the way, she developed a passion for artisanal cheeses, became a wine and cheese instructor, and eventually earned her Certified Cheese Professional credentials.
Family, friendship, and shared food experiences has always been at the helm of what drives Michele. She is happiest when she can combine her love of story telling with the theater of dining, and like any native New Yorker, is ready to share these stories with anyone who will listen.