Chef Nicola Blaque

Chef Nicola Blaque is a restaurateur and chef based in San Antonio, Texas. Chef Blaque is the executive chef and owner of The Jerk Shack, a Jamaican-inspired restaurant in San Antonio. The restaurant that offers fare like jerk chicken, braised oxtail, and more quickly became a staple after opening in 2018. In 2024, The Jerk Shack was awarded a Bib Gourmand designation from the prestigious Michelin Guide. In whatever she does, Chef Blaque is passionate about making food that tells a story. In early 2024, she opened Freight Fried Chicken at the popular Pearl district in San Antonio - a restaurant that pays homage to formerly enslaved women that sold fried chicken as a way to support themselves in post-Civil War Virginia.

In addition to running successful concepts that have been recognized by GQ, Eater and more, Chef Blaque is an Army Veteran, a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America in San Antonio, a private chef for members of the San Antonio Spurs, a two-time CultureMap San Antonio Chef of the Year, a James Beard Award nominee, a wife, mom and more. She also serves on the board of Visit San Antonio in a culinary advisory role. Having been born and raised in Jamaica until she was five years old, Chef Blaque is passionate about introducing people to the flavors of the Caribbean. Though she’ll be the first to tell you that the dishes she’s serving up aren’t always traditional Jamaican dishes, she’s passionate about infusing those flavors into cuisine her patrons know and love.