New family restaurant, Jessie's Joint, opens in Geneva
By DEB BENTLY
Staff Writer
Jessie and Erick Alvarado are being literal when they say their business along Central Avenue in Geneva is a “family” restaurant; at least to date, everyone who works there is one of the six members of their family. Jessie and Erick have lived in the Geneva area for the past three years with their offspring Gavin, 21; Isiah, 17; Julia, 15; and Jaxon, 10.
Both Jessie and Erick “grew up” in the restaurant and hospitality field. Jessie’s parents helped run The Creamery, a sit-down restaurant located in Otisco about 20 years ago. Erick’s family still operates a restaurant in his home region in Mexico. Both helped with busing tables and other simple tasks during their childhoods. Erick mentions that he’s always preferred being behind the scenes, although the term is open to interpretation, since restaurants in Mexico frequently have an “open” kitchen; customers can see every step as their food is prepared and served.
“We both said we wouldn’t do it again,” laughs Jessie. “But when we learned this building was for sale, we couldn’t stop ourselves.” The cafe is in the same location as the former Noris Cuisine.
“It’s a gorgeous place. We loved coming here. And it’s all set up with a very efficient commercial kitchen.”
The doors opened on January 31: Hours are from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday.
The family members who put in the most hours are Erick, Julia and Isiah; the two young adults attend an online school, and so can adjust their schedules to be compatible with their jobs.
The lunch and breakfast menus offer a fair number of items with elements of Mexican cuisine. A breakfast burrito; a combination of eggs, vegetables and meat in a warmed tortilla shell, and much more. Many items on the menu include family member’s names: Julia’s Fajita, Isiah’s Burrito.
“We want people to know we’re serving them the kinds of foods we like to make for ourselves,” observes Jessie. “It’s another way we’re a family restaurant.”
Erick, who does most of the cooking, says he enjoys the task—one of his favorite parts is knowing he is giving his customers a treat that makes their day more pleasant.
Joining him in that sentiment is Julia. “She’s our baker,” comments Jessie. “When the doors close at 2 p.m., she stays and bakes rolls and other treats.”
Jessie teases Julia for insisting that she mix all dough completely by hand. “There’s a professional stand mixer ready for use,” she says, “but Julia won’t use it.”
“It wouldn’t be ‘hand-made’ if you mixed it with a machine,” responds Julia, who admits she first thought the idea of her family acquiring the café was “a little bit crazy.” But her time as server and baker has changed her mind. “I like it,” she comments. “It feels good to see people really enjoying something you’ve prepared for them.”
Julia takes special pleasure in having found a way to make vegan cinnamon rolls for certain customers who have made that part of their lifestyle.
Jessie remembers family holidays growing up. “We’re a bunch of people who just love to be in the kitchen,” she recalls. “There we’d be, shoulder to shoulder, all working to get everything ready.
“There’s something truly rewarding, when the hard work is all done, about sitting down and watching people appreciate the results. It doesn’t matter whether it’s family at a holiday or customers in our restaurant. It feels good to serve people.”
Now nearly three months into the operation of their café, the Alvarados note that change is in the air. That is, as the winter months turn to summer, they are trying to anticipate how patterns and interests among their customers are likely to change.
“We’ve been developing a new menu,” says Jessie, “and we’ll be rolling it out in the near future.”
In addition to adjustments in the food they offer, the family is looking at adding special beverages and treats suited to warmer days—iced coffee, for example.
“We want to give our customers a variety that suits their daily choices,” says Jessie. “It’s important that we change things up a bit every now and then to keep people coming back.
“It’s also good for us as a family,” she says, pointing out that family members frequently eat their meals at the restaurant, and also find themselves wanting an occasional change.
As their business continues to grow and adjust, Jessie and Erick explain, they must consistently find a balance between the many types of dishes people enjoy and even request, and the costs for acquiring the needed ingredients.
“We can’t serve everything,” comments Erick. “We want our food to have the satisfying flavor of being fresh. That means when we buy something, we want to use it while it’s still got that delicious taste.”
Both Jessie and Erick work other jobs besides operating the restaurant, and they want to keep some time for “just family” as well. “Sometimes it’s easier to work with strangers than with your own family,” says Jessie. “It can put some stress on the relationships.
“That’s another way we look for balance.”
One particularly enjoyable way the café and the family mesh together takes place after closing time on Sunday afternoons. All ingredients not used during the past week are offered for an afternoon social gathering. The four offspring are given the chance to invite their friends over; ingredients are mixed and matched to make entrees to order.
“That’s rewarding, too,” says Jessie. “Watching the next generation chat and play games, and enjoy food together. It’s interesting to hear what they say and what their interests are.”