Chef Jo-Jo Doyle of Extreme Culinary Outfitters is an F&B industry advocate, loves the industry, the life, and leading a successful team. In addition to being the executive Chef at the Honda Center Arena in Anaheim California, he is a creative and driven entrepreneur selling fresh and witty chef gear, kitchen performance wear, and chef t-shirts and hats.
His passion for the industry and dedication to the lifestyle are picking up pace. If you are in the industry and can relate, you can find him talking the talk on facebook and instagram, or catch his new VLOG on youtube. More on Chef Jo-Jo and his history, plus the vision and purpose of the E.C.O. brand, here:
F&B Industry Finds a Voice, Advocate, and Brand as Entrepreneur and Seasoned Chef Jo-Jo Doyle Turns Out Fresh and Witty Chef Gear & Culinary Apparel
Extreme Culinary Outfitters, an online retailer of chef gear and culinary wear, launches a new line of quality chef coats and unique gifts, culinary-flavored chef gear, kitchen wear, decals, and gift cards just in time for Christmas.
Since launching in 2010, Extreme Culinary Outfitters (ECO, for short) has become the online outlet for quality, fresh and witty chef apparel. Patrons of the site find outside the box designs and wordsmith creations that speak to and for those in the food and beverage industry (F&B).
Part of what makes the ECO brand apparel so unique is the owner-operator and main designer, Chef Jo-Jo Doyle and his experiences. Currently the executive chef at Honda Center Arena, home of the Anaheim Ducks, at the young age of 42, Jo-Jo is responsible for consistently producing great eats with 1,000 in-house employees from their (whoa) 22 unique menus that cover 3 restaurants, 88 luxury suites, and 44 concession operations on the property. Add to this preparing the meals for all the Arena players and performers to imagine a day in his life.
He knows the highs and lows, the stress and the satisfaction of the industry. He lives it. From overseeing the preparation of thousands of simple and scrumptious burgers and fries to be enjoyed by fans and patrons to creating the provocative and delicate flavor combinations for the more discriminate palate in the upscale restaurants at the arena, he puts it all on the table (literally) daily. He’s familiar with every aspect of the F&B world and intimately so with those who make it all happen.
“Our industry is not just about the food. That’s the end result of course, that’s what we are doing, yes – but so much goes into that perfect end result. It’s the people that make the industry. And not just the people served, but those serving others. Working well together to make it happen, day in and day out we get it done. Putting out high quality and high volume, it’s an art,” reports Jo-Jo. “It’s often long, very long days and nights. We work together, we understand each other in ways outsiders just don’t get.”
His prior work experiences over the years were no less challenging. After finishing culinary school in Miami, he worked in the “back of house” and on the line in some of the best kitchens he could find to hire him in South Florida. By age 26 he was working as an executive chef and held this position at many local restaurants.
By age 30 he had landed a senior sous chef position at the American Airlines Arena in Miami where he was in charge of the Exclusive Flagship Clubs on the floor level serving up dishes to celebrities and the super wealthy. The chef’s also been graced to work such unique venues as the U.S. Open. His last position before arriving at the Honda Center was executive chef at Churchill Downs (think Kentucky Derby).
No need to wonder about the personality and attitude of the young and successful chef. Surprisingly, he can make down-to-earth seem snobby. Deeply caring. insightful, passionate, and fun best describe the charismatic leader. Like so many in the F&B industry, he isn’t prideful himself, but takes pride in the teamwork, the camaraderie, the presentation, and the complete diners’ experience he helps orchestrate.
In his comfort zone serving up great food with great people under demanding circumstances, he’s created an artistic outlet and brand that represents and speaks to and for all the F&B industry workers, chefs, kitchen support, back of house and front of house servers who make up the culinary industry he is so passionate about.
He and his wife, Gina, run their family owned and operated online business with the same passion they raise their 4 children with and the same dedication Chef Jo-Jo puts into his career. With all they have on their plates, Jo-Jo still makes time to give back to the community and has helped develop the ‘Genesis Kitchen program’ which gives young cooks the valuable experiences they will need to become chefs in the future.
The concepts expressed in chef coats, chef gear, chef t-shirts, culinary wear and decals epitomize the feelings and life of the culinary world. From performance clothing that can be worn under chef coats to every-day comfortable and stylish shirts, hoodies, and hats, the goods display imagery and phrases that capture the unique highs, lows, and experiences of living the F&B life.
Chef Jo-Jo’s company and brand, ECO, is just shy of 100k strong on facebook and has a following on Instagram of over 3,700, proving he still makes time to get social and is in touch with those he identifies with.
“I want to mold and shape the industry that we all love so much. ECO is my outlet to make that happen. ECO is ‘our brand.’ The industry is ‘our house;’ whether you are front of house or back of house in F& B, we’re all in the same house,” says the chef.
In addition to selling chef gear and cooking apparel to those who work in the industry, some new items ‘are up’ that make unique gifts for Christmas. Each item from the online store is quality. Each comes wrapped uniquely and is beautifully presented in thick butcher paper, hand stamped with the iconic ECO logo. For those last minute shoppers or those who aren’t sure what to get someone, gift card options just launched on the site that can create a digital, printable voucher with no shipping time.
Looking forward, a new section of the website will focus on industry news and insightful stories, opinions, and pieces from highlighted industry insiders. ECO is truly a brand dedicated to becoming the voice of the industry. Chef Jo-Jo vows to continue his line of unique and hard-hitting culinary apparel and goods, which has appropriately been dubbed and tagged #OurBrandOurStyle.
Look for more from this accomplished executive chef and food and beverage workers’ advocate in the days to come. Follow the Extreme Culinary Outfitters social accounts on facebook (here) and Instagram (here) and give a shout out to Chef Jo-Jo when you do, as he continues to bring his experience, taste, character, and art into the words and style of ‘Extreme Culinary Outfitters.’
*Original articles posted at these links:
http://www.kusi.com/story/33914284/fb-industry-finds-an-advocate
http://business.itbusinessnet.com/article/FB-Industry-Advocate
http://www.cbs8.com/story/33914284/fb-industry-advocate-entrepreneur-and-chef-jo-jo-doyle-turns-out-fresh-and-witty-chef-gear
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2016eco/chefJoJo/prweb13898826.htm
