Meet the team

The talent behind the experience.

Kitchen

Executive Chef

Joe West

Born in Okinawa, Japan, and raised in the Kansas City area, Chef Joe West has built a 25-year hospitality career defined by curiosity, discipline, and an unwavering pursuit of excellence. His passion for hospitality extends beyond the kitchen, drawing inspiration from world travel, Florida’s coastal lifestyle, and the tropical garden he tends at home.

West began cooking professionally at 16 years old at Kansas City’s acclaimed 40 Sardines under James Beard Award-winning chefs Michael Smith and Debbie Gold. After earning a full-tuition scholarship to Johnson & Wales University in Denver and graduating on the Dean’s List, he continued to refine his craft with Chef Bryan Moscatello at Adega, Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder, and a stage at the legendary Alinea in Chicago.

His career has taken him through some of the nation’s most respected kitchens, including the two-Michelin-starred Alex at Wynn Las Vegas and Bluestem, where he served as Chef de Cuisine during the year Chef Colby Garrelts received the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Midwest. Along the way, he has collaborated with many of the industry’s leading chefs through nationally recognized culinary events, including No Kid Hungry, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, Share Our Strength, Shuttle Cork, and the Aspen Food & Wine Classic.

Recognized as one of America’s rising culinary talents, West was named one of Eater’s Young Guns in 2014, won Cincinnati’s Iron Fork competition, founded Kusshi in Kansas City — the underground pop-up that earned 435 Magazine’s Best Supper Club award — and later led The Savoy at 21c Museum Hotel as Executive Chef, where the restaurant was recognized as Kansas City’s Best Hotel Restaurant for four consecutive years.

West later spent five years with Jackson Hole’s Fine Dining Restaurant Group as Vice President, leading menu innovation, operational systems, purchasing strategy, and culinary development across a diverse portfolio of restaurants.

Today, West serves as Executive Chef of Le Mans Kitchen in Sarasota, Florida, where you will find his farm-to-table approach, celebrating the seasons. Whether mentoring young chefs, exploring new cultures, or cultivating his garden, he believes great cooking is rooted in curiosity, craftsmanship, and genuine hospitality, always striving to leave every kitchen better than he found it.

Kitchen

Celebrity Chef and Consultant

Jose Martinez

French-born chef Jose Martinez has been part of the ever-evolving culinary scene for over 40 years. His lauded experience includes 10 years as a master’s recipient of three stars from the coveted Michelin Guide as well as Relais and Châteaux.

Armed with passion and a drive for excellence, Chef Martinez owned and operated the 200-seat La Maison Blanche in Paris for ten years. Located inside the coveted Golden Triangle (Triangle d’Or), La Maison Blanche was in the company of high-end boutiques, fashion houses, and some of the city’s most iconic and glamorous destinations. With Chef Martinez at the helm, La Maison Blanche earned itself a coveted Michelin Star.

In 2002, Chef Martinez moved to Florida and established Maison Blanche, or “white house” in French, on Longboat Key. With his restaurant’s reputation as one of the best in the Sarasota area and one of the finest in the state of Florida, Chef Martinez earned a James Beard Semi-Finalist award for Best Chef of the South in 2010. Zagat named Maison Blanche 2012’s Best French Restaurant in Florida. By 2015, Maison Blanche was nominated as one of the 100 Best Restaurants in the USA by OpenTable. With Chef Martinez’s impeccable balance of food and flavor, the accolades don’t stop there. For the past 21 years, Maison Blanche has been unanimously praised by foodies and critics as “Tampa Bay Area’s Best.” And as winner of a Golden Spoon every year, Chef Martinez has indeed entered the Hall of Fame.

As a culinary tastemaker, Chef Martinez brings an innovative and prestigious flair to the French-inspired menu at Le Mans Kitchen. As the celebrity chef and consultant, he is continuously striving to build upon his vision of providing exemplary dishes and a comprehensive guest experience, while also encouraging a rewarding team environment for his staff. With his belief that there is no alternative to excellence, be prepared to be dazzled with your very first bite.

Kitchen

Sous Chef

Alfredo Sostre-Martinez

For Sous Chef Alfredo Sostre-Martinez, cooking is a journey built on curiosity, discipline, and a passion for continual growth. His culinary foundation began in culinary school, where he studied Culinary Arts along with Baking and Pastry fundamentals, developing a strong appreciation for technique, craftsmanship, and the details that bring a dish to life.

His career has taken him through a diverse range of distinguished kitchens, including the Gasparilla Inn & Club in Boca Grande and The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota, where he worked under Chef Andrew Thompson. It was at The Ritz-Carlton that Alfredo further developed his culinary identity, refining his technique and gaining a deeper understanding of the precision and standards of a high-level professional kitchen.

He later helped open Maury’s, a new steakhouse concept in Port Charlotte, contributing to kitchen systems, recipes, standards, and daily operations while helping establish the restaurant’s culinary identity from the ground up.

Throughout his career, Alfredo has continued to seek opportunities to learn from accomplished chefs and celebrated kitchens. He has worked alongside Michael Mina during a special culinary experience and under Chef Drew Adams at Adeline. He has also completed stages at acclaimed restaurants including Le Jardinier in Miami and Rocca in Tampa, broadening his perspective through exposure to different culinary philosophies, techniques, and approaches to execution.

Today, Alfredo brings that depth of experience to Le Mans Kitchen, where his passion for learning and commitment to craft are reflected in every plate. His philosophy is simple: keep learning, keep challenging yourself, and never stop finding new ways to make great food.

Dining room

Front of House Manager

Taylor Carpenter

Since Le Mans Kitchen opened its doors three years ago, Taylor has been the welcoming face leading our front-of-house team. Passionate about hospitality and creating memorable dining experiences, Taylor is dedicated to ensuring every guest receives exceptional five-star service from the moment they arrive.

With a warm smile, attention to detail, and commitment to excellence, Taylor takes pride in making every visit to Le Mans Kitchen feel as special as the food itself.