From his distinctive Southern drawl to his
trademark duds - denim bib overalls and a red and white truckers cap
heralding "Save the Farm",- Jack McDavid is a "good
ol' boy" with a unique recipe for success. Most recently, he
starred in the TV Food Network's,
"Grillin' and Chillin'" with Bobby Flay.
His
innovative American cooking style and old-fashioned work ethic have
produced rave reviews from customers and food professionals alike,
including Food & Wine magazine's
"Best Chefs in
America
" Award. With the skill of a classically trained chef who
adds his own special culinary flourishes, Jack is known for serving
ample portions of hearty, basic foods by weaving marvelous combinations
of the finest grown farm-fresh ingredients.
Jack
decided on a career as a chef, honing skills in more than 115
restaurants during the 1970's and early '80s. He learned classical
French technique, as well as discipline, at
Washington
's bastion of French cuisine, Le Lion D'Or.
There, he bacame proficient at every station in the kitchen of
Jean-Pierre Goyenvalle. In 1984, he moved to
Philadelphia
to continue his culinary profession at the world-renowned Le
Bec-Fin. It was Georges Perrier who
inspired the young budding entrepreneur.
Jack opened his first restaurant, the Down
Home Diner, in March of 1987, at the
Reading Terminal Market in
Philadelphia
. He wowed patrons with inexpensive, inventive dishes like
cornbread pizza with
Tennessee
ham and chicken-fried buffalo steak with red-eye gravy. In
November 1989, he opened Jack's Firehouse in the
Fairmount area of
Philadelphia
featuring "haute country" cuisine.
Jack's resolutely American regional style is
clearly defined by his commitment to using products that are locally
grown and raised. He buys from 250-300 farmers and breeders, and
invests in local farms and greenhouses so that he can get perfect
vegetables and herbs all year round. Everything served in his
restaurants are McDavid-made - from mayonnaise and ketchup, to
biscuits and chocolate chip cookies.
Six
months after the Firehouse opened, he made his first national appearance
at the Food & Wine Classic in
Aspen
,
Colorado
. Since then, he has been invited six times to cook at the James
Beard House in
Manhattan
, the culinary equivalent to playing Carnegie Hall.
Jack is married and the father of four. In
addition to his family and restaurants, Jack makes time for charities,
having donated time and effort to the American Farmland Trust, March of
Dimes, Meals on Wheels, Chef's Aid, Share Our Strength and many more.info@jacksfirehouse.com
for details. 
