Ever think that a real ‘mom & pop’ business could exist in NYC?
Meet JoeDoe, the ‘modern day mom & pop’ restaurant in the East Village. JoeDoe opened in September 2008 and is owned and operated by Chef Joe Dobias and Jill Schulster. JoeDoe restaurant is 26 seats with an open-air kitchen. Joe and Jill built JoeDoe with their own two hands and adorned the dining room with 19th century antiques and silverware collected from their parent’s houses.

         The  two came up with the term ‘Aggressive American’ to describe the cuisine. It's a combination of bold bright flavors with nods to Jewish, Italian, Asian, and Irish cultures. Why Jewish? Jill is Jewish; Joe is not….therefore, Joe was on a culinary mission to impress Jill’s parents. He loves pickles, and makes a mean brisket. Both Jill and Joe feel honored to have their first restaurant represent the culture of NYC’s Lower East Side and highlight its Jewish background. Why the influence from other cultures? Joe himself is Irish & Italian, and has worked in many Asian kitchens.

        You’ve probably heard this before, but Chef Joe prides himself on using seasonal and responsibly raised products without being preachy. If you’re eating fried chicken feet at JoeDoe….then you better understand those chickens were running around happy their whole lives. Ever try a Prepared Beer? They come from Jill’s imagination and combine hand-made spirits & artisanal beers, with seasonal juices, salts, and honey.

       Since Joe and Jill opened JoeDoe, they have been featured in The New York Times, Michelin Guide, TimeOut NY, NY Magazine, The NY Post, ABC News ‘Neighborhood Eats’, and many more. Chef Joe Dobias won $10,000 on Food Network’s hit cooking competition show ‘Chopped.’

       These two are driven, edgy, and artistic and they can’t wait to show you what JoeDoe is about! Keep an eye on them….they have other projects underway!

Joseph Dobias    Joseph Dobias was born and raised in Port Jefferson Station New York. His first job in the hospitality business was a position as busboy at a local seafood place. Through the years, Joe developed passion for restaurants and ended up in Ithaca, NY at Cornell University’s world renowned Hotel School. Since then he has worked for Celebrity Chef Ming Tsai (Blue Ginger Restaurant, Boston area). Joe then became Executive Chef of Blue Grotto in New York City and soon after Executive Chef of Tupelo Grill. As the Executive Chef, Joe has opened many restaurants in NYC such as Coast (financial District), Viet Café (Tribeca), Sullivan Diner (West Village), Quaint (Sunnyside), SavorNY (LES). Chef Dobias’ years in Manhattan as an accomplished Chef have been recognized by TimeOut New York, Zagat, and the NY Sun.     In 2008, Chef Joe, 29 years old, finally had the opportunity to open his own restaurant with his partner Jill. JoeDoe restaurant boasts ‘Aggressive American’ cuisine and is located on first street in the East Village of NYC. Since its opening in 2008, JoeDoe has been recognized and reviewed by The New York Times (‘Chef Joe puts out brawling dishes with bold ideas and twists)’, Time Out NY (5/6 stars), The New Yorker, The NY Post, and has been included in many other publications. JoeDoe restaurant has a 23 in Zagat 2010 guide for food and service. JoeDoe is also Michelin guide “recommended.” In October 2009, Chef Joe made his first TV appearance on Food Network’s hit show ‘Chopped’ (a cooking competition). On ‘Chopped’, Joe competed and won 10,000 dollars. Chef Joe looks forward to expanding his JoeDoe brand in the near future.

 

Jill Schulster    Jill Schulster, 28, also a native Long Islander was born in Oceanside and has been a ballet dancer since before she could walk. Her passion for the fine arts and dance lead her to NYU’s prestigious Tisch School of the Arts. While attending NYU, and out of necessity, Jill took a job as a catering waiter for Restaurant Associates. Here she was taught the talent and high art of service however; it was not love at first sight. The hospitality business has taken Miss Schulster to all areas of the front of house, including a position as bartender and server while in college. After NYU, Jill has continued to dance professionally with ballet companies in New York and Connecticut, and work in the hospitality business part-time. Her interest in restaurants has made a serious turn in the past two years with her employment as a Manager at the wildly popular Crispo Restaurant on 14th Street in Manhattan. Here she has learned the art of managing an extremely large and diverse operation. The Chef /Owner has given Jill first hand insight in to how much tangible work is required to run a NYC restaurant.      Jill was challenged with creating cocktails that would stand out amongst NYC’s fancy cocktail bars. She doesn’t care for the term ‘mixologist’, but she loves to create drinks with salts and spice. Her cocktails have been recognized by The New York Times, Men’s Health Magazine, NY Post, NY Magazine and many other publications. Frank Bruni of The New York Times named Jill’s ‘Honey Beer’ cocktail, one of his 3 favorite cocktails of 2010. Jill continues to be the ‘Jewish Mother’ of JoeDoe and dance professionally with ballet companies in NYC.