MEET THE CHEFS
Meet the chefs behind Sushi By Jeff & Ef, passionate creators dedicated to delivering unforgettable sushi experiences through artistry, hospitality, and the freshest ingredients on the Emerald Coast.
ABOUT CHEF JEFF
Chef Jeff Margaretten is a self-taught lover of the art of sushi. In 2001, he was invited to a “make your own sushi” party, brought some fish, and began the quest to make the perfect roll… Whenever there was party to be thrown, Jeff hung out in the kitchen, drank good sake' and rolled fresh fish until everyone could eat no more. Friends began to rave about the quality and flavors he had offered them. Chef Jeff was humbled and thankful.
Raised in Miami, Jeff graduated from Tulane University in New Orleans with a Masters of Architecture. In 1999, he moved to the Emerald Coast, to raise his family on the 30A and open Margaretten Architectural, a boutique residential and commercial design firm that Jeff still operates today, in Santa Rosa Beach, FL.
“A good friend of mine was planning an open house a few years back and asked if he could hire me to provide an all-you-can-eat-sushi buffet for the event,” Jeff recalls. His response:“You mean, Get Paid?” Needless to say, he accepted the job and embarked on a new career path with a knife and a rice cooker. Soon after, his beautiful wife Lisa, herself with a successful career in event planning and design, got involved, and a thriving sushi event business was born.
For 2 ½ years Jeff worked as a Sushi Chef at Crush in Seaside, FL to hone his skills and practice his art. In the end however, it was always the personal service of a private party at someone’s home or business that was his true love…. Or as Jeff says, “that, and of course, Lisa, my five children and seven grandchildren”.
ABOUT CHEF EF
Chef Efrain Tirado has 23 years of experience as a sushi chef. He has traveled the world through his culinary career and looks forward to using this experience and diversity to make each private event as special and as meaningful as possible.
What sets him apart is that he has worked in many different restaurants, with many different languages, with many different menus, and many different people. He has worked as a leader, mentor, manager, trainer, consultant, and most importantly, always as a friend.
Simple pleasures and new adventures are what inspires and and brings passion to Chef Efrain’s life, which can be easily seen in the presentation of his sushi.
