Located on the 49th floor of the Devon Energy Center in Oklahoma City – the tallest building in the state – Vast Restaurant has the best views of the city. It also has one of the most skilled culinary masters in its kitchen: chef Jonas Favela.
For Favela, the restaurant’s remarkable setting is part of what makes the opportunity so exciting. But while the views may draw guests upward, he knows the experience ultimately comes down to what happens on the plate. His goal is to create food that feels elevated yet approachable, combining technique, creativity and the flavors that have shaped his own culinary journey.
“We can see all the way to Edmond, to Norman. It’s pretty cool, being this high up,” says Favela. “There are some people that don’t like heights, and I get that. I really understand that. I’m not one of those people, though – that doesn’t bother me. I can go to the edge of the window, and look down and see the ground floor, which is pretty neat.”
Favela mentions a handful of impressive restaurants – his former workplaces – during the interview, most of them steakhouses that were infused with influences from cultures across the globe. Of those is a restaurant in New York City, Stock and Bond, where Favela’s signature, gourmet recipes formed the backbone of the menu. He brings that expansive expertise to Vast, where taste and presentation are two of the most important combinations for unlocking a superb dining experience.
Favela credits becoming a chef to former employers and his mentors, but mostly, to his family.
“My Dad’s mom is from Mexico, so she had a lot of the savory stuff that I loved eating, and then my mom’s family is European, and they had the sweets,” he says. “They baked the pastries and stuff like that.”
Of Stock and Bond, Favela speaks highly of a mentor named Ron Roselli.
“That’s who put Stock and Bond together, and that was a steakhouse done right,” he says.
Each chapter of Favela’s career has added another layer to his culinary perspective, preparing him for the opportunity to reimagine one of Oklahoma City’s most iconic dining destinations.
“That brings me to my time here at Vast, which I’m really excited about. I’m ready to bring Vast into a new era.” He jokingly adds: “I call this the new regime of me.”
A lifetime of experience in a broad range of kitchens, from fast-food restaurants to OKC’s AAA Four Diamond restaurant, means that Favela is prepared to create and re-create dishes on par with Devon Energy Center’s high standards.
“The first thing I’ve done since I’ve been here is gotten the Nova Lounge up and running,” he says. “It’s beautiful, very thought-out.”
The Nova Lounge – the premier penthouse cocktail lounge within Vast – has a menu that is presented in four phases: pressure, threshold, luminance, and afterglow, with drinks like “Garden Theory” enticing epicureans with a list of ingredients juxtaposing egg white against flavors like peppercorn, gin and white wine.
For Favela, the launch of the lounge is just the beginning. He approaches each new project with the same curiosity and ambition that have guided him throughout his career, always looking for the next opportunity to evolve.
“Once I get into some things I want to accomplish, it’s onto the next goal,” says Favela. “And then onto the next.”
Chef Jonas Favela’s Garlic & Herb Whipped Potatoes
Infused Cream
3 Cups Heavy whipping cream
3g Thyme
3g Rosemary
7.5g Kosher salt
6g Whole black peppercorn
5g Peeled garlic cloves
225g Unsalted butter
Bring to a simmer for 10 minutes, strain through fine mesh strainer. Set aside.
Potatoes
4lbs Russet potatoes, peeled
25g Kosher salt
Cook until tender.
Pass through a food mill.
Add infused cream in thirds to ensure potato mixture is not soup.
Season with salt to taste.
