The Chef
A native of Spartanburg, South Carolina, and a graduate of the University of South Carolina; Joe spent his early career working in foodservice in both front and back of house positions. After graduation, Joe followed his degree to Los Angeles where he worked in Film and Television production for 14 years managing crews and filming some of the biggest names in Hollywood. Tinseltown, however, never fully satisfied his true calling...cooking. While on hiatus between movie and television gigs, he expanded his culinary education at Epicurean Culinary Institute and worked at Chef Govind Armstrong’s famed, 3 star restaurant, Table 8. Joe and Darlene left Hollywood on a mission to pursue their dream of opening their own restaurant. Joe attended the French Culinary Institute in New York graduating with Honors and receiving the Grand Award for Best Menu, as well as completing the Restaurant Business Course.
Joe’s inspiration and passion for fresh food grew from watching his grandmother use the bounty of her garden and farm to provide food for the table. This initial introduction to the quality of fresh farm food, from fresh tomatoes and cantaloupes to fresh eggs and fresh pork have sustained and brought him to the cornerstone of his cooking. To Joe, it’s a Chef’s responsibility to know where their products come from. It’s about discovering and understanding where the food we eat originates, how it was grown, even watching it grow; how the animal was raised, fed and even harvested. He believes it just makes sense to seek ingredients from folks that are putting as much love and passion into their work as he does into preparing it.