07/16/2026
My experience with Chef Chad Johnson started a year ago, just after we were awarded the design of the new Bern’s seafood restaurant concept in Tampa.
Before I met him, I was warned he fully anticipated completely blowing up our first concept and 'crapping all over it' as he tries to figure out what works best for him! Interesting, I thought.
Then I sat across the table from Chef as he described his vision. I was hooked. His passion was palpable in a way I hadn’t experienced in years. I knew the project would not be easy, but it would be such an honor to help translate his vision into reality.
That began the frequent communication that often started with:
“What would it look like if…?” And I was always on the other end, ready to run with his next idea. Heard.
One early brain dump of his ended with:
“Yes, I am well aware that I go from point A to C, jump to H, and then go back to B. Love it or hate it, it’s how my brain works”!
That was Chad. Brilliant. Honest. Direct. Always pushing. Always thinking.
When we got to the design, he told me he never approves anything the first time around. Then, by the end of our meeting, he approved everything and even surprised himself! As a designer of 30 years, I got back into my car with such exhilaration, like I had just conquered the giant with my slingshot!
One of my favorite Chad quotes from our weekly team calls was: “Can someone NOT named Chad answer this question please”. He was humble enough to let experts share their expertise, yet he knew a lot about A LOT.
Last Wednesday after our weekly team call, I sent a vendor a list of Chad quotes to "hide" in a custom restroom wallcovering. I wanted Chef’s personality in the design. Something he would never ask for, but would make him laugh.
Later while on a call with the architect, I got an email from Chef.
Subject line: Do we need a ceiling?
Oh Chef. “What would it look like if we removed the ceiling? All exposed, blacked out with sound absorbing foam applied to surfaces.”
We laughed, agreed it could still align with the 100-year-old aesthetic, and sent visuals back to Chad to discuss later. I expected his response by morning.
No response all day. Then I got the call.
Chef had passed away in his sleep Thursday morning at age 47. He leaves behind his wife and two daughters, who lit him up even more than this restaurant vision, along with teams of people he walked alongside, challenged, encouraged, and led.
No more Chad-isms. No more “F-bombs” that we all got used to as part of Chad’s every day language. What I do know is that I am grateful for Wednesday. Grateful I focused on his quotes. Grateful I laughed about the no-ceiling email - our last “what would it look like if….”
My sincere prayers are with Chad’s family, his team, and all who had the privilege of being shaped by his vision, honesty, and unmistakable way of leading.
“What would it look like if…”?
-Jacki Arena
He had been a pillar of Bern's and the other concepts for over a decade.
