Taste With Tori: Jack's Firehouse
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It's a taste of the South right here in Philadelphia led by an award-winning chef who is famous for his barbecue.
Jack's Firehouse has everything from ribs to catfish.
It's a Taste With Tori featuring southern hospitality in a 19th century firehouse in the Fairmount section of the city.
And it's all inspired by a "good ol' boy" from Appalachia.
With his trademark trucker's cap and a plaid flannel shirt, Jack McDavid is cooking up some southern comfort.
"We have everything from squid, to shrimp, to crab cakes," Jack told me as we enjoyed his outdoor seating. "We have some pulled pork, we have some brisket, we have some ribs, we're all simple country food.
And he's a simple country guy at heart.
"I grew up in the hills of Virginia and my mother and father gave their family everything," he said. "They sacrificed for the children so the children could do better."
And he did.
He attended the University of Virginia but he says it was hard.
The students there had a name for Jack.
They called him welfare.
"I was amazed at what people had," he recalled about being at UVA. "I came from a very impoverished part of the country, the Appalachian Mountains are some of the poorest parts of the country.
"I went to school for the rich fancy boys, they thought they were smarter than me, they thought they were better than me," he said.
Jack was determined to succeed and went to work.
He learned French cuisine from some of the best, like Philly's famed chef Georges Perrier from Le Bec Fin.
"At that time American wasn't really considered on par with European food and I wanted to show them Americans can cook with anybody," said Jack. "We had the best products, we had the best work ethic."
He says when he opened back in 1989 very few restaurants were buying locally.
But it was important to him to support local farms and it still.
He wears a ballcap that reads, "Save The Farm".
Jack buys from 115 local farmers.
"We have so many farms around here, so much great food, so much great seafood, so much great game," he said. "The reason Jersey tomatoes are so good is they're local, so close.
It's not just about quality, it's about supporting local farmers.
That's what Jack says he also does with his employees.
"You know, if you're the owner of a restaurant you never pay an employee all they earn, " he said. "If they have a child sick, you have to be able to step in and help, if they have a car break down maybe you gotta go help them."
A good ol' boy who hasn't forgotten what it's like trying to make ends meet and who loves living in the big city.
"I could have chosen any city in the world to live in," Jack said. "This is the best city in the world to live in."
We've set up link here so you can check out Jack's Firehouse and its menu.
And don't forget to let Tori know about your favorite places and why you like them at Facebook.com/vittoria woodill.
