Born in New York, Jonas Bittencourt moved to Brazil when he was nine years old and didn't return home until he was a teenager. Bittencourt turned down offers from colleges to play soccer and decided to jump right into the workforce. Starting at age 19, he fell in love with hospitality first at fine dining establishments such as Periyali in Chelsea and Milos in Midtown. He immediately dove into wine under Beverage Director Michael Coll, whose first instruction was to memorize the Oxford Wine Encyclopedia. 

In early 2018, Bittencourt decided it was time for something new. Fresh off a yearlong sabbatical with family in Brazil, he secured an interview with Master Sommelier & MOF Pascaline Lepeltier at Racines NY. Bittencourt credits most of his success and knowledge from his time at Racines under Pascaline’s leadership. The experience completely changed the way he viewed wine, service, and hospitality. 

The pandemic relocated him to Chicago where he began the next phase of his career at Verve Wine. He then moved to Asador Bastian, where he built an entirely Spanish wine list with over 20 Sherry options by the glass, which earned him an “Award of Excellence” from Wine Spectator. 

Before joining Class Act, Bittencourt built the opening beverage program at John’s Food & Wine, a fast-fancy gem in Chicago’s Lincoln Park. At John’s, Bittencourt curated an accessible and flexible wine list that encouraged guests to taste something new and emphasized organic and biodynamic wines. Most recently, Bittencourt’s innovative approach to curation and hospitality earned him the 2024 StarChefs ‘Rising Star’ Sommelier award.