Four friends. One mission.
What started at the same kindergarten lunch table turned into a lifelong obsession with finding the best food on the planet.
Jeff, Jake, and Theo have been inseparable since they were five years old. Jason joined the crew in middle school and never left. Decades later, the four of us still work together, do life together, and eat together. A lot.
Somewhere along the way we gave ourselves a name: the Michelin Men. Not because we hand out stars, but because we take finding great food just as seriously as the people who do.
The Food Captain
Every crew needs someone who sets the tone, and that's Jeff. He's the one pushing the group to try the new spot nobody's heard of, ordering something saucy off the menu that nobody else would touch, and yes, ordering pizza for dessert. It's become legendary. He built Parea because he wanted a better way to track and rank every meal the group shares together.
The Energy
You know that feeling when the server walks toward your table with the food? Theo feels that times ten. Every single time. His belief that every gathering should center around a meal is basically the reason Parea exists. If Theo had it his way, every meeting would be a dinner, every phone call would be a lunch, and every handshake would happen over appetizers.
The Palate
Jake's the guy who can tell you the tasting notes on his morning coffee and pair the right wine with whatever's on the table, but he'll never make it weird. His "down for whatever" attitude keeps the group grounded while his refined palate keeps the standards high. Every crew needs a voice of reason. Jake's ours.
The Wildcard
Jason is the reason no two dinners are the same. He's drawn to the unconventional, the weird, the places you'd never find on your own. He's also the primary source of laughter at every table, which honestly might be more important than the food itself. If the rest of us are the engine, Jason is the element of surprise that makes every meal an adventure.
The honorees
The Michelin Men wouldn’t be complete without Myke Hanna and Brian Stephens, our two honoree members. They’ve been at the table for enough meals to earn a permanent seat.
Myke Hanna
Honoree
Brian Stephens
Honoree
Why Parea exists
We built Parea because we’ve been doing this for years with no way to remember it all.
Which spot was the one with the incredible short rib? Where did we go for Jake’s birthday two years ago? What was that place in Chicago that Theo wouldn’t stop talking about?
Now we remember everything. And our goal hasn’t changed since day one: find the best eats, anywhere in the world.
