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Keeping up with the "Jones"s – a Chef Q&A
Despite what many say either positive or negative about Starr establishments, we have always had a fun time and consistently enjoyed the food on all of our visits to Jones. Yes, it is in part due to the fun nature of the concept and the cocktail list ain't too bad either, but more importantly, the Chef should be given credit for taking extreme pride in all of the food coming out of the kitchen, making it obvious that he is cut from a very experienced culinary cloth.
We recently caught up with him and his mini-me look-alike 1-year old son for a brief sit-down over a few delicious vittles to find out more about his take on comfort food, what it's like to represent one of many restaurants in a larger corporate atmosphere and what he likes to cook on his infrequent days off.
How long have you been at Jones?
About 4 1/2 years. I enjoy working for Starr – he has a great sense of humor.
Where were you prior?
I was the Executive Chef of Tuscan Square in New York City.
As a Chef, how would you describe comfort food, and what is your particular favorite version to make and to eat?
My parents are from Italy (region of Molise), so Italian food is for me the most comforting: my mother's lasagna, which is made with layers of fresh pasta, tiny meatballs, mozzarella and Parmigiano cheese and chopped hardboiled egg; lentil soup; a platter of salami, cheeses and good bread; a plate of simple pasta with tomato sauce.
What is one favorite aspect of your job?
Meeting the challenges of each day – I have to be creative, whether I'm working on changing the menu, handling personnel issues, expediting orders or cooking on the line.
What would you say is your biggest challenge in the kitchen?
Every kitchen has a unique vibe and set of standards established by the Executive Chef. Keeping everyone onboard with your vision and working at a level that promotes the best interests of the business requires continuous effort and vigilance.
I bet your wife and baby benefit immensely from your culinary knowledge on your days off. Do you whip up culinary masterpieces for them frequently?
I made my son his first solid food, organic carrots. Now, at 14 months, he eats anything: pâte, matzo balls-a particular favorite from the Jones menu, hummus, quesadilla, and avocado. My wife is a good cook in her own right – her tortilla soup is one of my favorites. She also does the baking or desserts in our house. If she has a special request or craving, I'm always happy to be her personal chef.
Do you have advice for current aspiring Chefs?
Work hard and don't expect the world in your first year – or even your first five. There is a lot of perceived glamour to this industry that didn't exist when I first became a chef. Chefs are cooks, this is a trade. I was lucky enough to work for a really good chef in New York who taught me a lot about production, quality, utilization, working for and with crazy people, and maintaining a sense of humor. Be willing to put in the hours, [be] well rounded in terms of having culinary and business sense, and work with an owner's mentality.
Jones Restaurant
700 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 223-5663
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