FRESNO — Throwing a party any time soon? Chef Jon Koobation has just the right appetizer recipe. “I recently created this recipe for one of my wife’s get-togethers with her friends, and it was a complete hit. It’s easy to make and assemble, and is perfect as an appetizer on a mezze table for special events, buffets, or to serve at the holidays…”
Jon was the owner and head chef at the acclaimed Jon’s Bear Club in Reedley, California for several decades before he retired. Born in Dinuba, a small farming town in the San Joaquin Valley, Jon’s history with The Bear Club started many years earlier. He learned his trade on the job, working first as a prep cook and sous chef at major Lake Tahoe-area restaurants before returning to the Reedley area. He then worked at the celebrated Vallis’ Restaurant in Kingsburg, the Redwood Inn of Sultana, Dinuba Ranch, and the Swedish Mill, and became The Bear Club’s executive chef in 1973. And the rest is history.
Through the 1970s and mid-1980s, Jon’s restaurant established itself as a fine steakhouse featuring exceptional food and friendly customer service. “Using the freshest local ingredients available each season was always appreciated by our guests,” says Jon, “and one of the top reasons they chose to return again and again.” Under his direction, the restaurant became a treasured part of the local community and home to countless family meals and special celebrations that welcomed generation after generation of San Joaquin Valley residents.
“We had infants brought into the restaurant by their parents, who grew up and came back and worked for us,” Jon says. “After having been there 40 plus years, you see generations come and go.”
His must-read cookbook, Cooking with Jon, is a legacy of Jon’s vast culinary experiences, his many years in the local restaurant business, family traditions, fond memories, and personal recollections. Also included are brilliant photos to go with the recipes – photos that make you feel like you could just reach down and pick up the delicious food. Some of the recipes included are: Charred Asparagus Roll-Ups, New York Steak, Lobster Bisque, Tortilla Crusted Salmon, Cabbage Dolma with Beef and Lamb, Chicken George, Jon’s Grandma Bazarian’s famous Armenian Shish Kebab, and how to make your own kettle corn at home.
