Today we’d like to introduce you to Zack Weiner
Hi Zack, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve been cooking since I was 15 years old. In high school, I attended a career tech school during my junior and senior years, and that experience solidified my passion for hospitality—I knew this was the industry I wanted to be part of for life. Over the next 15 years, I worked in every corner of the business, constantly learning, growing, and honing my craft. In 2021, I was fortunate enough to open Jollity with my best friend and business partner.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Opening at the tail end of the pandemic came with an outrageous number of challenges, but we’ve always been lucky to have an incredible team with long tenure—people who’ve grown with us and helped us learn every step of the way. We’ve also been fortunate to have amazing guests who’ve supported us since day one, and we don’t take that for granted.
Staffing and procurement are still ongoing challenges, as they are for most in the industry. We do our best to stay nimble, pivot daily, and meet those issues head-on. Sourcing as much produce as we can from local farms has helped make procurement and forecasting a little more manageable—but of course, there are still hurdles in other areas.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m one of two Chef Owners at Jollity.
Brendon and I set out to open a restaurant that offered a different kind of experience—for both our staff and our guests. We wanted to take everything we had learned from the reputable kitchens we trained in and try to build something of our own. So, in 2019, we started planning, and in 2021, we opened our doors.
If we had to put a label on it, I suppose you could call Jollity a New American restaurant. We use as much local produce as possible throughout the year and draw inspiration from both our training and our current obsessions. I tend to live in the flavor world of Japan and Korea, while Brendon leans into the bold, comforting flavors of the American South and East Coast. It turns out those influences complement each other really well. Our menu changes every 45–50 days, following the rhythm of the farms and what’s coming into season.
Our staff is what truly makes the difference. Including Brendon and me, there are 12 of us, and we see each other four to five days a week. What’s really special is that we still see some of our former team members a couple of times a month for lunch or dinner—and it’s a joy to watch them connect with the newer folks we’ve brought on recently. I think we attract a very specific kind of person, and that’s something we’re really proud of.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
All of our staff, guest, family members, neighbors.
They make it possible
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jollitydayton.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jollitydayton
