Jon Deutschle never intended to be a chef. Growing up, he was exposed to good food through his grandparents, but he never had an interest in cooking. After graduating from Newark High School, he realized he needed to find a job.  His friends convinced him to be a server at Texas Roadhouse, and soon he realized that he was on the wrong side of the kitchen line.

By age 21, Jon was teaching himself how to cook by watching PBS cooking shows and watching others around him in the restaurant where he worked. After making his way through a few more restaurant jobs, he landed a position as a cook at the Red Door Tavern. He then gained more experience and rose through the ranks as a chef at The Old Bag of Nails Pub and Spagio Cellars before joining the Marcella’s team in 2007.

Jon loves to cook for his family. Though his favorite cooking style is Mexican, he says he likes to make something new every time he cooks. There is always a steady supply of dried chilies, Kosher salt, and at least three different kinds of hot sauces in his home kitchen.

When he’s not in the kitchen, Jon enjoys watching sports, particularly Buckeye games. He also likes spending time with his wife and reading.

Deutschle’s advice for aspiring chefs is, “If you want to be the best, you have to work harder than the best.” He also likes reminding them that food shouldn’t be overcomplicated because, after all, it’s just food.

Chef Jon already loves working with the Marcella’s team. “I love the food, but even above that, I love working with the people there.”