Ben Jones, a self-taught chef, has more than 22 years of experience in the restaurant industry.
Before he and his wife, Sophia Jones, took over the Oystercatcher Restaurant in Coupeville in 2023, he worked in his hometown of Winthrop and also in Seattle, and Central America.
His passion for scratch-made dishes using locally sourced ingredients shines through in every plate, particularly in his chef’s tasting menu, where guests are treated to a surprise lineup of expertly crafted courses.
Take a road trip to Whidbey Island’s Coupeville this summer to find out for yourself — it’s well worth the trip.
When you aren’t working, where are you dining?
My wife (and business partner), Sophia, and I love to dine out when we aren’t on the clock. Not only does it feel like a way to continue to push our understanding of dining and cuisine, but we love to support other small businesses who are making an impact in their community. We don’t stay in any particular style of cuisine; we both love pretty much all food and could be found tucked away in a corner table at Le Pichet, enjoying their charcuterie and classic French dishes, or just as easily at Sam Oh Jung in Lynnwood (our favorite post-flight meal on our way back to the island), indulging in a bounty of delicious Korean food, along with at least a quart of kimchi to take home. Some other favorite spots include Reckless Noodle, Off Alley, Le Caviste, Joule, Lenox, Communion, Finistere in Port Townsend, along with so many others I am sure I am missing. It’s humbling and exciting to be a chef alongside these incredibly talented folks.
What is the most underrated gem in the region, and what do you order?
One of our favorite underrated spots would probably have to be La Cocina Oaxaqueña in Seattle. The wet burrito is otherworldly; we always get one to eat there and one to take back to the island with us. My wife used to work up the street and would go there all the time on her lunch breaks, which is how we discovered it. Their mole and albóndigas are also stellar. They make a damn good margarita, too.
Do you have a favorite cooking gadget?
I love my salamander, if that counts as a cooking gadget. It’s the best piece of equipment we bought for The Oystercatcher. As far as cooking gadgets people might have or use at home, I think some must-haves are microplanes and mandolines. We always make veggie stock, and I just throw whatever piece of veg I am slicing into that, so you aren’t wasting anything. I think the most underrated tool in a kitchen is probably a spoon. I do so much with a spoon; I tell all my cooks to plate with spoons — they should be like an extension of your hand in the kitchen. Everyone thinks a chef’s favorite utensil is a knife, but really, the spoon does most of the heavy lifting.
What inspired you to go the route of culinary arts?
My mom got me my first job in a kitchen when I was 17. She just came up to me one day and said, “Your first day in the kitchen at Sun Mountain is tomorrow. Be there at 11 a.m.” And I did. I worked with chef Patrick Miller, who has since become a close friend and someone I have a great deal of respect for in this industry. He gave me a crash course in everything I needed to know. A couple of years into working at Sun Mountain, someone approached me about taking a chef job in Panama, and at 22, I picked up and moved to Central America. I feel really lucky that my work came naturally, and I was given many opportunities.
What do you like most about your career?
Food is a language. It is love, culture, history, and joy. It is late, debaucherous nights with bottles of wine and full tables. It is quiet mornings with my love. It is the thing that connects us when so many things in this world divide us. It sustains and energizes. I love that I get paid to play in the kitchen and feed people. There are few jobs as intimate and inherently human as cooking for people. I put my story on a plate — my heart, my mother, my father, and my brother, who are no longer with me, are all in my cooking.