Hailed by many as Connecticut’s top culinary artist, Noel Jones announces his departure from ON20 in Hartford. Jones served for eight years as executive chef of the Polytechnic Club’s 20th-floor restaurant, raising it to exalted heights that matched its literal elevation. Jones brought Zagat recognition to ON20, including a food ranking of 28/30 in the most recent Zagat Survey of Connecticut Restaurants, which was second only to perennial favorite Le Petit Café in Branford. And with a décor score of 28/30 and a service score of 29/30, ON20 edged out Thomas Henkelmann for the highest combined Zagat score in Connecticut.
High standards are what Jones is all about. His approach is to take classic cuisine and use it as a springboard for the imagination to create exciting new dishes. Says Jones, “We journey toward perfection knowing full well that excellence is not so much a destination but is all in the journey.”
Jones has greatly enjoyed working on various fundraisers with the many talented Greater Hartford chefs, including Tyler Anderson of Millwright’s, Billy Grant of the Grant Restaurant Group, Ryan Jones of The Mill at 2t, and Hunter Morton of Max Downtown. He looks forward to a new setting in which he is free to display his lofty culinary ideals while bringing the highest level of food, ambiance and service to his patrons. Jones is currently poring over the available ownership/partnership opportunities in Connecticut. Please stay tuned for further announcements—and Noel Jones thanks you all for your support!
If anyone would like to contact Noel Jones, he can be reached at chefnoeljones@gmail.com.
Twenty-Five Questions For Noel Jones On August 8, 2012
- Noel, you look more relaxed than I’ve seen you in years. So what has been your favorite Olympic result so far? I enjoyed the women’s overtime soccer win. So you’re pulling for the U.S.? The U.S. and Ireland.
- Yankees, Mets or Red Sox? Yankees. Giants, Jets or Patriots? Giants. Knicks, Nets or Celtics? Celtics. I thought I saw that coming.
- New England, Rhode Island, Manhattan or Maine chowder? New England. What’s Maine chowder?
- What’s your favorite guilty food pleasure? French fries. Meat? Brisket. Fish? Turbot. Vegetable? Cauliflower. Fruit? Apple. Spice? Vanilla.
- If money were no object, what exotic ingredient would you use more? Truffle.
- How long have you been married? Cheryl and I have been together 19 years, married 15. How did the two of you meet? I was ready to return to Ireland. I saw this woman who was a travel agent for Carlton Travel.
- How many children do the two of you have? Two. What’s their favorite restaurant? Dad’s house.
- Do you enjoy cooking for yourself or do you need an audience? I like both, but having an audience is better.
- Where do you live? Norwich. Where do you shop for food? Stop & Shop.
- Who has the better food tradition: America or Ireland? Ireland. Farm to table is all they know.
- In your opinion, what percentage of Americans properly appreciate good food? Honestly? It’s low. Hopefully it’s improving.
- What country’s culinary tradition interests you the most these days: France, Italy or Spain? All three. India, China or Japan? All three equally. But my favorite food is sushi. I could eat it seven days a week. I’ll never cook it myself because I can’t improve on it. I’ll just sit there and admire someone else’s Picasso.
- In what country would you like to spend a month vacationing? Italy.
- What do you do to stay so fit? Mountain biking, running, etc. You don’t smoke? No. Everyone on Hell’s Kitchen seems to smoke. Would you hire a chef who smoked? Probably not.
- What do you think of American chef preparation these days? Can most applicants name and prepare the mother sauces? Identify, evaluate and prepare fish? Pluck a fowl? No, no and no.
- Who are the most interesting celebrities for whom you have cooked? Nick Faldo and President Mary Robinson of Ireland.
- What charitable cause, whether organized or not, is nearest and dearest to your heart? Cancer.
- Which individuals influenced your development as a chef the most? My uncles. Which chefs do you most admire? The Roux brothers (French-born restaurateurs and chefs who operated La Gavroche, the first restaurant in the United Kingdom to gain three Michelin stars, setting a real culinary tradition in motion).
- What is the most common misconception about the restaurant business? That it’s easy.
- Why don’t more women chefs excel? It’s a man’s world and there’s a glass ceiling. They’ll tell you there isn’t, but there is.
- What’s the nicest thing anyone ever wrote about you? That I was a chef to be reckoned with. What’s the worst thing anyone ever wrote about you? That I was a molecular gastronomer. I’m afraid I might have been guilty of applying that label at one point.
- What other labels do you dislike? Celebrity chef. Today’s restaurateurs and chefs put themselves above their customers. I’m looking for the bubble to burst, where a chef has to be good, not good-looking or well-marketed. Too many chefs think they’re painting Picassos when they’re actually painting dogs playing poker. Also farm to table. If you’re not doing farm to table, what are you doing—supermarket to table? Why should chefs get extra credit for farm to table?
- What do you like about Connecticut? My family, the shore. There are hills and valleys. We’re close to both Boston and New York.
- What would be the ideal restaurant situation to finish out the rest of your professional life? Having my own place where I can cook what I want and only have around me the people I want. Food is about bringing people together.
- What would your approach be? To do something very special with the diner in mind. I don’t care what everyone else is doing, just what are we doing tonight. What can we do to exceed people’s expectations, to blow them out of the water?