John Watt composed the original music for Mildred's Umbrella's Tomorrow Morning, Dracula, and Needful Creatures, as well as original music for The Alley Theater's Our Lady of 121st Street.
Born in Superior, Wisconsin, John is partner and executive chef at Houston's Prego and also serves as executive consulting chef of Backstreet Cafe. Growing up, Watt lived in various parts of the north, including Edmonton, Canada and Saginaw, Michigan. He received his B.A. degree from the University of Tulsa, with a major in philosophy.
Gifted with talents in many creative areas, Watt has taught art, sculpture and pottery, and played guitar with Johnny Lee Wills and the Texas Playboys as well as with The Gap Band during the late '70s. In another music venture, he created jingles for television commercials with a member of The Platters, the singing sensation of the late '50s.
Watt worked as the manager of a night club in Oklahoma, learning the ins-and-outs of the kitchen. He worked his way through the ranks at some of Tulsa's top restaurants, learning classic French technique and using his talents to create new dishes.
Watt is a two-time guest chef at the prestigious James Beard House in New York City, and has annually received a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence from 1998 to 2003.