Johnnie began his career at the Grey Door restaurant in the heart of Georgian Dublin before heading to America to work in the Water Club restaurant which specialised in New-Age cuisine. From here he left for California where he added another two top class restaurants “Gustav Anders” and “Avantis” to his Curriculum Vitae. After 5 years in the States Johnnie returned home to launch the well known “Polo One” restaurant as Executive Chef, where he remained for a further two years. In 1992 Cookes Café opened to great acclaim.

John's culinary success now extends to his own brand of Artisans breads. Cookes Bakery was established in 1993 as a result of the success of the breads that were baked and served in Cookes Restaurant. The brand was relaunched with new packing and new lines in August 2005, can now be found in a wide variety of retail stores, such as Dunnes and Tescos and in gourmet grocers.

John Cooke and his team of chefs also provide superior Event Catering for a variety of different types of events. Past events include private dinner parties, large store openings for 300+ guests, product launches and large scale customer evenings. Cookes Catering pride themselves on their ability to provide innovative and tailored canapés and drinks which compliment and bring to life the theme and style of event.