Today we’d like to introduce you to Zach Preece.
Hi Zach, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, you could tell our readers some of your backstories.
In my early 20s, I moved to London as a young chef and had the great opportunity to work at some of the best restaurants in the city, both from a high volume and fine dining perspective. My focus during that time was mainly modern European cuisine. As my family grew, that brought me to Jacksonville, and the type of restaurants I was accustomed to working at was not here. My move stateside allowed me to branch out and, in a way, forced me to cook different cuisines like barbeque, modern Indian, and now Italian-American at Josephine. Looking back, I’m grateful for each opportunity and how every experience has pushed me and defined my career as a chef.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been smooth?
The hospitality industry is a challenging business to get into, and you have to have a passion for it to be successful and happy. It hasn’t always been an easy road, and similar to most who choose to be a chef, I was faced with tough working conditions, long hours, and low pay. Throughout the years, I’ve spent much time away from my family, which is always hard. With that said, the struggles I’ve faced along the way have become part of my journey, and I’m fortunate to be in a position where I love what I do now more than ever before. It’s taken a lot of hard work and perseverance to get here, and I’m proud of that. At any given time, I lead a driven and passionate team of 20 – 25 people, with a mix of people starting their careers and those who are seasoned professionals. They push me daily to be a better version of myself, and it’s a nice feeling knowing that I’m helping to lead the next generation of chefs.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I’m honored to be the Executive Chef of Josephine. We have a special group of people leading the charge at our restaurant, and I haven’t encountered this type of passion in quite some time. I’m known for taking my fine dining background and blending it with everyday local ingredients to create dishes that are both traditional and unique. This opportunity has allowed me to push boundaries and express myself as a chef in the best way possible. Our team works hard to create an exemplary dining experience, and with that, we have become a scratch kitchen and make all of our pasta and most of our bread in-house. Having these types of programs is challenging and labor-intensive, especially considering the volume we’re lucky to have at Josephine. Still, we’re committed to offering our guests the best possible. Our team has taken and run with this challenge, and I’m very proud of that. In the future, we’re excited to continue expanding the programs we offer to make even more housemade pasta, bread, and other items.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I worked for some highly respected chefs in London, like Chef Jun Tanaka and Chef Tom Sellers. They helped shape my career early on and taught me what it takes to run a successful kitchen, everything from a strong work ethic to attributes to look for in a core team and the importance of building relationships with your purveyors. My two boys, George and Dillon, play a large role in why I do what I do, and they’re always interested to hear about my day at work. We also have a phenomenal management team at Josephine that I’m proud to work alongside. It’s refreshing to find a group of like-minded people excited to contribute to the Jacksonville food scene and play a small part in putting our city on the map regarding food and drink.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.josephineavondale.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josephineavondale/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JosephineAvondale
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/josephine-jacksonville
- Other: https://resy.com/cities/jax/josephine
Image Credits
Cole LoCurto
