Born and raised on the sunny shores of Destin, FL, Phillip McDonald’s passion for fine dining and wine was sparked at his first cooking job in 1999. He began by mastering the foundational basics of cooking and honed his skills under the mentorship of great chefs in some of Florida’s best restaurants. 

Phil founded Table Five, a private chef and catering company specializing in private dinner parties, boutique catering, and underground farm dinners. Table Five offered Phil the flexibility to travel extensively across the U.S. He worked alongside some of the nation’s best chefs in renowned establishments like Jean-Georges in New York, Gary Danko and Flour + Water in San Francisco, Domenica in New Orleans, Paley’s Place in Portland, Oregon, Campbell Cheese & Grocery, Achilles Heel, and Reynard in the Wythe Hotel.

A few years later, the call of his Gulf Coast roots brought Phil back to Florida. Since being back in the area, he’s been the executive chef at Bud & Alley’s Pizza Bar in Seaside, FL, where he perfected his wood-fired cooking techniques, creating authentic Neapolitan-style pizzas, house-made pastas, and farm-inspired dishes. Phil earned his APN (Association of Neapolitan Pizza Makers) certification, a testament to his dedication to the 150-year-old art of Neapolitan pizza making.

Phil also launched Black Bear Bread Co. in Grayton Beach. The success of Black Bear was rapid, earning a James Beard nomination and expanding to three cafes and a sister operation, Bar Room, a progressive Natural Wine Bar with a Parisian Style Brasserie menu accompanied with farmed raised Gulf Oysters.

Phil resides in Point Washington, FL, with his daughter Olivia and fraternal twins Christian and Ava. His journey from a fine dining novice to a celebrated chef and entrepreneur continues to inspire, marking him as a true culinary artisan and visionary.