Meet Your New Neighbor: Southernish Opens in Lemont Downtown
You’ve probably seen our newest neighbor popping up around town over the last few years. Southernish has been working its way into our hearts, the best way we know how: through food. What started as one quarantined dinner party during the pandemic has turned into a place where a lot of delicious food and a generous helping of hospitality can lead to a cooking school, catering business, and private chef experience where folks have an opportunity to gather around a table and find community.
Being the dynamic hosts that they are, Joe and Linsey welcomed us into the cooking studio and sat down with us for a conversation on how they met, their journey so far, and what we can find at our newest neighbor.
KG: You run Southernish together? What’s your story?
Linsey: We met in 2012. Joe was working in construction and I had stepped away from my culinary training to pursue a career in local government. We fell in love, haha, and started cooking together in our kitchen. We loved to experiment with new recipes, sharing meals, and hosting our friends, and gathering together in the kitchen. That’s when Joe found his passion for cooking and went on to work in the kitchens of some of Chicago’s most notable chefs.
Joe: I loved what I did, and with a love for Southern cooking and a desire to create something of my own, I launched Southernish as a cooking blog at the start of the 2020 pandemic, never imagining how much it would grow.
Linsey: He won’t talk about this, but I will! Joe is a 10-year Army veteran, and our business is a Service Disabled Veteran-owned Small Business.
KG: That’s amazing! Can you tell me a little bit more about what that designation means for your business?
Joe: To qualify, businesses have to meet two basic criteria (and then a lot more paperwork).: 50% of the business must be owned by a Veteran and the Veteran must have a disability related directly to their service confirmed by the DA and Department of Defense.
KG: Well, thank you for your service! I love that and I’m so excited to celebrate that. I know how hard it is for veterans to return to civilian life, and I speak for the whole town when I say I’m so happy you opened here in Lemont, but also that you found your way.
Linsey: I’m so proud to boast about him. Joe is no stranger to hard work. With no formal restaurant experience (aside from a college pizza joint), he walked into an open call for cooks with a major hospitality group and earned a stage at one of the city’s most celebrated new restaurants.
KG: So, how did Southernish get started?
Joe: It happened by accident, really. I had the cooking blog and we weren’t looking to do private “chef-ing” at all. During Covid, like many folks, we were waiting for things to open back up – the businesses, the schools, and the restaurants.
Linsey: A friend asked us if Joe would like to private chef for a friend’s birthday party. It was still quarantine time, but everyone had their little pod, and it was socially distant. We were in that stage where everyone was trying to make it work, but also stay safe. Folks couldn’t go out to restaurants, but they could bring Joe in. Well, we had that dinner party and our client’s sister was there. She loved the meal and told everyone she had ever met. All of a sudden, we had 4-5 weeks of dinners booked. We had things out, made sure folks knew and kept our circles small to keep people safe.
KG: That’s amazing. I remember those days. I’m so glad you were able to keep folks safe but still enjoy a nice meal.
Linsey: You know, because of that experience and the training that came with it, we actually discovered this entire new market of families with sick, immunocompromised, or disabled children or relatives, families that have children with sensory issues or autism that can’t go out to eat but still want to have a nice meal. We know how to do it. We can provide them with a great meal, excellent service, and make sure that people stay safe.
KG: I saw you popping up around Lemont, really a few years ago. How did that happen?
Linsey: We’ve always loved Lemont and were semi-local, visited regularly, and just know, if we’re going to open a cooking studio, it’ll be here. We worked with Cozy Wine Room in Glen Ellen. We had pop-up wine pairings and hosted dinners with them. Then, when Pollyanna Social opened, we started working with them to get the word out about both concepts. We started doing events for Friendsgiving, Cheese and Cocktails, and themed pop-ups for the Kentucky Derby, Mardi Gras, etc.
I grew up here, and I saw how Lemont changed when the brewery came to town. Together with Mabel’s Market, we saw how the town found some new life, and it’s been great partnering with local businesses.
KG: So you built a great following and then found a space? Southernish is located where Just Hummus used to be.
Linsey: Okay, so I’m proud but also not proud of this. I saw a Facebook post that Just Hummus was closing. I screamed at Joe from across the house. We had been looking for a storefront for a few years, but either the space was too big, it didn’t have a kitchen, or we just wouldn’t fit there. I had almost given up the fight. I immediately contacted our real estate agent and within a few days, we had a lease.
KG: It was meant to be! What kind of classes will you have?
Joe: We’ll have a huge selection, really made for the community. Choose your experience: We have a full steakhouse date night class. We have family-friendly classes. We have classes that you can take solo and learn new techniques or simply realize how easy some things are.
KG: It sounds like classes that really meet home cooks exactly where they’re at. I love to cook, but I’m often dissuaded from taking cooking classes because they’re too basic.
Joe: The best part of cooking at Southernish is that, regardless of skill, you’ll learn something new. We have classes on Ramen where you’re learning how to make an amazing bowl of ramen: the noodles, the broth, the meat, seasonings, and other toppings. It may be something that the average home chef wouldn’t attempt, but you’ll have someone walking you through it. At the same time, you’re learning the basics of a great both, how to layer flavors, and even use kitchen tools properly.
Linsey: We have a full schedule of classes, and it’s really a place for everyone. Classes are capped at 12 people, so you’ll have plenty of space to work. After your lesson, you’ll be able to sit down and share a meal together. We have real plates, real silverware, and do fun place settings so you’re at a restaurant where you’re the chef.
KG: Will you have cooking classes for kids at your Lemont location?
Joe: We will! We’ll have classes for our junior chefs as well as kids and their families.
When we started putting stuff out about Southernish, we heard from hundreds of people on what we’re doing, and the community wants more kid-friendly classes and spaces. We’re doing a family ramen night – make the noodles, build your own bowl.
KG: How much are the classes?
Linsey: Prices vary by class – we choose really high-quality ingredients, and because class sizes are so small, you have a really personal touch. The menu of classes will be available about 6-8 weeks in advance to book. We’re also local. We’ll hear about the things that people want and can adjust our schedule to fit it. You can’t find that anywhere else.
KG: I want to bring my entire family and my colleagues!
Linsey: Bring them! You can choose a class together or call us for private parties. It’s great for baby showers, bachelor and bachelorette parties, holiday parties, etc. You’ll make a ton of memories, have a great meal, and take home something special.
This is southern cooking. Everyone is at home here. Whether you’ve burned every meal in your past or you already host dinner parties for friends, this is Lemont’s new cooking space and a kitchen table for our community. We can’t wait to see everyone at the table.
Southernish is located at 209 Stephen St, Lemont, IL 60439. Check out their upcoming cooking classes here. Keep up with Southernish on Facebook and Instagram.
