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After graduating from the Virginia Military Institute with a degree in business and economics, I left Virginia for New York City. I worked long and intense days at an investment bank with great people. It was an awesome, but unfulfilling experience. After leaving the bank, I spent a year working for a septic company digging holes and pumping…it was glorious. I rejoined the corporate world for two years and went to work at a corporate law firm. After taking a wine education course just for fun, I decided the corporate world wasn’t for me and went to work at a wine shop across the street from my apartment for $10 an hour. I spent two great years there learning about wine and the retail wine business.
Deciding to make wine my career, I traveled to Adelaide Australia to study wine and business at the University of Adelaide. Once back in the states, I returned to Virginia, got married and went to work at a wine bar. While working at this restaurant, I was lucky enough to meet Michael Mercer. After working together for two years, Michael and I decided we could and should build a better restaurant. The first Wine Kitchen is the result of this decision. Michael retired from the company in 2018 and moved to South Carolina with his wife, Barb. I live in Leesburg, VA with my wife Staci and our young sons.
Email: jason@thewinekicthen.com
I grew up first over seas (South/Central America, Europe), and then the family moved to Springfield, Va in 1995. While in high school I took a job as a dishwasher at a retirement community. I quickly was allowed to help prep/cook and fell in love with the kitchen. When I graduated in 2003 I went to culinary school at Baltimore International College in downtown Baltimore. While in Baltimore I worked at The Center Club, a prestigious Supper Club in downtown Baltimore. I spent a couple years there and then decided to move back to Northern Virginia.
I worked at Vermilion in Old Town Alexandria for almost 3 years and worked my way through the various stations and up to Jr. Sous Chef. At Vermilion is where I gained my appreciation for great product. Tony Chittum was the first chef I worked for who preached local. I left Vermilion, wanting to see more and focus on Italian food.
I worked at Bibiana in D.C. for a year and then went back to Tallula in Arlington, Va (I worked mornings there for part of my time at Vermilion) as a sous chef. After a year and a half I went back to D.C. working as a Sous Chef at Fiola and then Beuchert's Saloon.
In the summer of 2014 I took my first head chef job at Room 11 in Columbia Heights, D.C. After a year I wanted to work closer to home (Reston, Va) and closer to farms. In 2015 I took the position of head chef here at Wine Kitchen Leesburg. In 2018 with Michael Mercer retiring, I jumped at the chance to be a part of the ownership team. I continue to strive for the best possible ingredients and push the food here. When not at the restaurant I'm with my wife Katie(also a chef), our daughter and our Bernedoodle enjoying life.
As owners, our job is to create an atmosphere that supports and enriches all our employees. You need to know our expectations and you deserve to have the information and tools to do your job effectively. You will be backed up with competent colleagues and managers. You deserve to be recognized for doing your job well. Just as you are expected to listen to your guests, we promise to treat you as “our guests” and listen to you. You can expect that we value and will respond to your needs and input whenever possible.
We believe that communication is one of the most important factors in building a great restaurant. Without effective communication, time and resources are wasted and it is impossible to give exceptional service and provide engaged, honest hospitality.
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