Meet the Chef

Jack Grace is the head chef of Oysterman's Restaurant & Pub but his journey to the top started years ago and has included holding almost every job there is in the restaurant industry.

After graduating Islip High School, Grace got a summer job at The Bayberry Café in Islip. He started in the front of the house bussing and waiting on tables. From there he bartended and then helped manage. So how did Grace go from the front of the house to the back? Well, like many chefs, he had a curiosity for culinary arts and the dedication it required.

Grace recalls a lunch shift he worked while still waiting tables. An order was received before the chefs came into work. He volunteered to do his best to fulfill the order. When he was done cooking the order, he felt so proud. "I got interested from there," he said.

Grace worked at The Bayberry Café for about 10 years; the last five of which were in the kitchen. He left when he was hired at Oysterman's in 2006, shortly after the restaurant opened.

Although he was looking for a job in the kitchen, he began his journey at Oysterman's in the front of the house, waiting tables and bartending. Grace finally got his chance in the kitchen, first with one shift a week and then full-time when the sous chef left. After about a year and a half in the sous chef position, the head chef left. Grace has now been the head chef of Oysterman's for about a year.

He has worn many different hats in the restaurants he has worked. He has even been the entertainment. Grace, a guitarist and vocalist in his free time, performed at Oysterman's one evening and got to show off his other talent – music. In addition to music, Grace enjoys fishing and surfcasting on Long Island.

An arts and science major at Suffolk Community College, Grace originally had wanted to pursue graphic design.  After further investigation, he decided it wasn't for him but by then he had found his passion for cooking.

One of Grace's specialities is soup; he likes to include a twist on traditional recipes. One such soup is his Oysters Rockefeller Chowder (see recipe below). This is not your ordinary seafood chowder and definitely worth the effort to make.

Oysterman's is located at 45 Foster Avenue in Sayville and is open seven days a week. They serve lunch Monday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. and offer an early bird dinner on Sunday from 1 – 4 p.m. They serve dinner nightly. Check out their website www.oystermansrestaurant.com or call (631) 589-7775 for more information on their summer theme nights: including their price fix menu, Wine & Dine and Lobsterpalooza. Oysterman's also specializes in gluten free menu items. More information can be found on their website.

Jack Grace's Oyster Rockefeller Chowder:

Serves about 8

Ingredients:

• 5 medium Shallots, chopped
• ¼ lb Bacon, chopped
• 2 oz. Anisette
• ½ Head of Celery, chopped
• 20 fresh, local Oysters, steamed (Steam in a pint of water and reserve juices)
• 1 qt. Heavy Cream
• 4 oz. Swiss cheese
• 4 oz. Mozzarella cheese
• ½ bag of fresh Baby Spinach, chopped
• 4 Potatoes, peeled (medium dice)
• Salt to taste
• White Pepper to taste

Directions:

• Render Bacon in pan until crispy
• Add chopped Shallots and Celery
• Stir util sweated (translucent)
• Deglaze with Anisette
• Add reserved juice from Oysters
• Let Simmer
• Add Heavy Cream
• Add Chopped Spinach
• Add Chopped Oysters
• Let simmer for 10 minutes
• Slowly Add Mozzarella and Swiss cheese
• Thicken with a roux (equal parts flour and butter that has been slowly cooked over low heat)
• Add Salt and Pepper to taste