Meet the Chefs

Jason Dietterick

Born and brought up in Newark, Delaware, Jason Dietterick discovered his passion for cooking at a young age. Now the chef at The Stone Balloon Wine House, Jason began working in the restaurant industry at the Back Burner in Hockessin. After training at a restaurant school in Philadelphia, Jason worked in the city for Stephen Starr. Continuing his education at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa, California, Jason became the corporate chef of Sodel Concepts at the Delaware beaches.

After opening three award-winning restaurants, Jason branched out from the corporate scene. He then took over as the chef de cuisine at Liquid Assets, specializing in cheese, bistro fare and fine wine.

In 2005, Jason took the chef de cuisine position at Solstice Restaurant at the Atlantic Hotel in Berlin, Maryland. There, he discovered his love for farm-to-table dinning; he hand selected vegetable and proteins everyday from the surrounding farms and local markets to bring diners the very freshest and most delectable meals. “At Stone Balloon, our use of Delaware agriculture is central to the menu design,” explains Jason.

In 2007, Jason took the sous chef position at the popular Nage Restaurant in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. At Nage, he tried new things and explored the “science of different flavors.” His creativity blossomed and his pallet grew at a restaurant that prided itself on pushing the envelope.

“The Stone Balloon Wine House is a new look on Main Street,” says Jason. “Newark is a college town, but we’re developing a grown-up look with an upbeat, upscale atmosphere.