FRESNO, Calif. — This Armenian recipe is featured in chef, restaurateur and author Jon Koobation’s Cooking With JON, the cookbook he published in 2017. For decades he owned the celebrated Jon’s Bear Club, in Reedley, California, that is often featured in his cookbook.
Under his professional direction, Jon’s Bear Club became a cherished part of the local community that welcomed generations of Central Valley residents. Founded in 1935 as a small bar for farmers and farm laborers, the eatery became a beloved home for countless family meals and celebrations throughout the generations, according to a California Restaurant Association (CRA) news release. In 2017, Jon received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the CRA Fresno Chapter “Best of the Valley” Restaurant Awards.
“We had infants and children brought into the restaurant by their parents, who grew up and came back and worked for us, year after year,” he said. “After being in business for 40 plus years, you see generations come and go.”
Jon eventually sold the restaurant in 2013, and then released Cooking With JON, a legacy to his rich culinary background and traditions. The cookbook features many of Jon’s signature recipes along with family photos and warm memories, and anecdotes. It is a walk down memory lane about Jon’s life growing up in the Central Valley — interspersed among the recipes are his stories. Stories of how he trained to become a chef, of his deep love for his family, cars and auto racing, and what it was like going from being a chef to owning his own popular restaurant, and his lifetime appreciation of really outstanding food.
“Cooking has been my passion throughout my life. It has filled my life with joy,” says Jon. “I learned a great deal from my parents and grandparents. At every family gathering, my father, Edward Koobation, always said, ‘Well, here we are.’”
The selections of Jon’s authentic recipes and full-color photography will provide daily inspiration for many memorable meals throughout the year. Recipes include: Grandma Bazarian’s Shish Kebab, Tomato Vermicelli Soup, Herb-Seared Lamb Tenderloins with Eggplant Caviar and Basil Oil, Chicken George, Lebanese Judra (Lentils and Rice), JBC Crab Cakes, Braised Lamb Shanks with Bulgur Pilaf (made with Swanson’s Chicken Broth), Cabbage Dolma with Beef and Lamb, Meyer Lemon Homemade Ice Cream, Heirloom Tomato Jam, and Cracked Wheat and Kale Salad.
