Members of the Highlands Borough Council and representatives of the Highlands Business Partnership officially welcomed the Highlands Café with a celebratory ribbon cutting at its new location, 300 Bay Ave., last week.
The heart of the Highlands Café, formerly the Girls Café at the corner of Washington and Bay Avenues, and is the trio of chefs: Laercio “Junior” Chamon Jr., Bill Alexander, and Christopher Booket.
Each of the three chefs honed his culinary skills through the Brookdale Community College Culinary Program. Their paths converged at Graze Restaurant, in Little Silver—a local farm-to-table spot —where their shared philosophy and friendship began to take root. Their passion for food, people, and community is the secret ingredient in every dish they create.
Chef Laercio brings more than 25 years of culinary experience to the table, beginning with a bucket of oysters and a dream. After shucking oysters when he was 15, he launched a successful food truck, catering company, and restaurant, a story of perseverance and passion. His food truck, Cuts, and Catch, offers a fresh and fast casual Surf & Turf menu and can be found seasonally at The Seafarer, 1 Atlantic St.
Now back in Highlands—where it started for him at the iconic Doris & Ed’s on Shore Drive, Junior is focused on using food to strengthen community ties and lead a team grounded in shared values: uplifting others, exchanging knowledge, and growing together.
Chef Bill Alexander discovered his love for cooking during college and launched a culinary career now spanning two decades. With an associate’s degree in culinary arts from Brookdale and a B.A. in Political Science from Kean University, Bill brings both creativity and thoughtful depth to his dishes. His experience ranges from supermarkets to casual fine dining, shaped by a calm and deliberate approach and a love for the energy of the kitchen.
Chef Christopher Booket brings an artistic flair to the Highlands Café. A Monmouth University graduate with a B.A. in Graphic Design, Chris followed his heart into the culinary world through Brookdale’s Culinary Education Center. Over the past 15 years, he has blended art and food, working in bars, pizzerias, and fine dining establishments, with a focus on detail and a drive to create dishes that balance creativity, comfort, and precision.
Together, this chef-driven team leads both the front and back of the house, creating a space that’s as warm. Diners say it is obvious the food is , and thee chefs agree it is so.
Highlands Café offers fresh, locally sourced breakfast and lunch Wednesday through Sunday, from 6 AM to 3 PM. The menu features house-made specialties including pork belly burritos, pancakes from scratch with banana bourbon fosters, steak and eggs in many varieties, chicken sandwiches, house sausages, soups, daily specials, and a rotating selection of pastries.
