Just Jeff's Gourmet Express

My new favorite rice.

2011-01-31T19:21:00.002-05:00

I'm a pretty big fan of rice.....all different types of rice dishes....long grain, short grain, sticky, pilaf, risotto, perfume, paella and yes, when in a pinch at home, i've used minute rice.......what does all that rice have in common?......yup, it's all white....im not a fan of wild or brown rice. Something about the texture more then the taste I find. Until one day I saw brown basmati rice in the bulk barn.....I love white basmati (it's my favorite of all the white variety) so I thought I'd give it a try. It was awesome!.... It doesn't take on the same flavour as white basmati (you know, that nutty flavour)....but the texture after cooked was very close to a pilaf. Here is a quick pilaf recipe you can try.......feel free to play with all the ingredients as per your flavour profile.....but do not change the rice to liquid ratio or the cooking times / procedure.

Serves about 4:
1/2 red onion diced
1 cloved crushed or minced garlic
1 tsp salt
.5 tsp pepper
2 tbs butter
1 tbs canola oil
1.5 cups brown basmati rice
2 whole bayleaves
1.75 cups liquid (water or stock)
1 tsp diced fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, whatever you like)
.25 cup frozen peas and or chopped fresh spinach
Method:
In a pot (that has a tight cover) fry the onions in the oil until lightly browned.
Add the garlic, bay leaves and salt and continue to fry for 1 minute....do not let it brown any more.
Add the basmati and cook for 1 minute.
Add the liquid and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, stir once then put pot lid on and turn heat to low and set a timer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn heat off and set timer for another 20 minutes to allow the rice to rest....do not open the lid.....don't even sneak a peak!
Once the resting timer is done, now you can peak.....carefully remove the lid and fold in the butter (optional) and the peas or spinach. Folding these last ingredients fluff the rice, let rest again with cover back on for 5 minutes...it is now ready to serve.
Note: you can sub some of the liquid for many things....I like to use half veggie stock and the other half coconut milk....or half chicken stock and half stewed tomatoes.........just make sure the total liquid always equals 1.75 cups.

Guilt free brown rice.
Jeff

Gift Baskets - "of fresh food?"

2010-11-18T18:16:00.003-05:00

This is a growing trend at Just Jeff's. We never really thought of this service when we opened 9 years ago, but it has slowly grown over the last few years. It all started with Gift Certificates... then many asked if we could deliver food.....now many are asking us to send X-amount of dollars in food with a card to a loved one who may have lost their spouse, or someone who just came out of surgery, or a new mom/parent just out of the hospital. Most of our new repeat customers today are past recipients of such gifts and they all say the same thing....."This was the best gift ever.....I didn't have to worry about dinner".....sure flowers are nice, balloons are nice too.....but not having to cook!.....awesome!
With all this said, keep use in the back of your mind when it comes to a helpful gift for that special someone.

Eat Well... Without The Work!

Jeff

Coupons

2010-11-04T17:34:00.001-05:00

Short & Sweet!.....click on this link to print them.

http://www.519coupons.com/local.cfm?redir=listings&srchby=co&companyid=234

See you all soon.

Gluten Free Meals

2010-10-11T09:25:00.002-05:00

Many of Just Jeff's Meals are gluten free. Many of the other meals can be made gluten free - notice required.
Details instore or give us a call.
519-966-0997

Bloggers Discount

2010-09-28T15:21:00.003-05:00

Well, It's no surprise costs are going up everywhere. Blame it on whatever you want, but the fact is costs keep going up.
As a small token, I'm offering this attached coupon to all my bloggers. Print it and reprint it as often as you wish. Use it multiple times per visit...but only for our Large Platter (now selling for $25+HST). This coupon will give you the old price for another 2 months.
You must present this coupon at purchase. You only need one coupon if your purchasing more then one platter at that visit.
Be the one who brings the most delicious, unique munchie to the party.
NOTHINGS & SALSA
Forward this link to a friend.
Cheers

Thanksgiving Menu - 2010

2010-09-17T18:53:00.003-05:00

Last year we cooked over 1000 pounds of turkey for this Holiday.

Call in and reserve your order - (519) 966-0997

Enjoy the Holiday with your Family & Friends… Not Cooking & Cleaning!
2010 – Menu

Thanksgiving Feast

Fresh Roasted Turkey au Jus
60% white meat & 40% dark meat all sliced and ready to serve.
Maple Ginger Glazed Ham
Slow roast ham sliced then topped with our homemade glaze.
Smoked Pork & Sage Stuffing
Our popular dressing finished with onions, celery and turkey stock.
Smashed Potatoes with (a hint of) Yams
Seasoned white potatoes smashed with butter and a hint of roasted yams for flavour.
Mixed Medley of Fresh Vegetables
Fresh medley of hand cut vegetables cooked to perfection with garlic butter.

All above are served with homemade gravy & cranberry sauce.

4 servings = $69.99 ~~ 8 servings = $129.99 ~~ 12 servings = $189.99 Plus HST.

Sub all white meat for an additional $1.75 / per person.
Additional gravy - $7.00 / Litre (litre serves 4)
Substitutions available – additional charges may apply.

Additional Holiday Suggestions

Nothings & Salsa – Large Platter $20.00
House Tossed Salad with Tomatoes & Cucumbers – Small Pan $17.00
Breast of Chicken Marsala – Small Pan $47.00
Pasta with Meat Sauce – Small Pan $32.00
Swedish Style Meatballs with Dill – 8 dozen $37.00

See our Catering Menu for Additional Options.
www.justjeffs.com

Just Heat & Serve - Heating directions provided.

All Orders must be placed no later than Thursday October 7th for pickup on
Saturday October 9th - between 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm.

Don’t forget… we repeat this menu for the
U.S. Thanksgiving in November!

Addictive Chips

2010-07-13T17:34:00.002-05:00

Holy Nothings & Salsa... if you want to be the one who brings the most delicious, out of the ordinary munchie to any gathering, you had better bring our Nothings & Salsa. Our seasoned chips with salsa dip are always a hugh hit. Be warned though....Call ahead. We run out every weekend. It doesn't matter how many extra we make.
Our Large Platter serves 15-20 guests....$20, and our Small Platter serves 6-10 guests for only $10.
Don't say you were not warned!
Enjoy.
Jeff

Naming a new program

2010-04-12T19:40:00.002-05:00

Our new "Senior Meal Solutions" program is really taking off. I must tell you that I really struggled naming it. I wasn't really sure if I should call it "Senior" because of the fear to offend or limit my market. That's water under the bridge now....The name stands, anyway....my point is that many (middle aged) have come in ordering this for themselves...which is good(controlling portion sizes)....they often feel like they are being dishonest or perhaps telling a little white lie when they order.....if that's you....keep this in mind when you place your order....

We do NOT check ID .....

This program is perfect for portion control......and mom & dad.
Eat Well...Without The Work!

Jeff

Senior Meals Program

2010-03-29T19:43:00.003-05:00

Some of you may know by now that I've just introduced our new Senior Meals Program. Long story short, smaller portioned complete meals (designed for small appetites) all in one oven-ready container. Smaller portions equal smarter pricing. See all the details on our website "Menus Section".
I've attached the Nutrition & Pics Sheet. Just click on it for a better printable view.
Talk to you all soon.

Damn Sodium!!!

2010-03-28T16:35:00.003-05:00

I can't begin to tell you all how difficult it is to make food taste good without adding salt. Since the Senior Meal orders have been pouring in, over 90% of them requested low sodium (for obvious reasons). It's amazing how much sodium is in raw ingredients to begin with...and things like canned tomatoes, herbs, root vegetables etc. AAAAWWWWWWWWW
I'm currently testing all the recipes with low sodium added so I can enter the recipe data into my Nutritional Software. Many have requested this info on the food items. I make the dish....taste it... think it's a little on the bland side, then enter the recipe data and....holy cow....800mg of sodium!.....are you kidding me!....makes me wonder what good restaurant sodium levels are......that info soon to follow in a future blog!

Anyway...it's been a challenge and educational. One thing is for sure, I will never stop using fresh quality ingredients.
Talk to you soon.

FYI... Daily recommended sodium for the day (average 2000 calorie diet)is only a touch over 1 teaspoon!.....most people use one teaspoon in their pasta water... or half a teaspoon on a steak...not to mention the potatoes, veggies and sauce with the steak!

Senior Meal Solutions Program

2010-03-24T20:55:00.000-05:00

For Immediate Release!
March 25, 2010

Just Jeff’s Gourmet Express, an industry leader in well balanced meal solutions, is thrilled to announce the launch of their new “Senior’s Meal Solutions” program. This program was designed to meet the demanding needs for easy to prepare complete meals, portioned for seniors. Responding to industry trends, we identified that the four most important needs in the senior’s market were proper portion sizing, delivery, ease of re-heating, and well balanced quality food with flavour. This new program not only meets these needs, but addresses long standing concerns about eating well…without the work.

Complete meals all in one container ready for the oven or easily transferred to a microwaveable dish for heating. Smaller appetites are met with our smarter portion sizes, and that comes with smarter pricing per meal. We help address the inconvenience of picking up meals by delivering them to the comfort of your home or office. Lastly, but most importantly, we produce well balanced meals with flavor. Flavor starts with fresh ingredients, proper cooking techniques and consistency… no preservatives are added to Just Jeff’s products. Just Jeff’s is a market leader in the Home Meal Replacement industry.

All the details can be found at our website – www.justjeffs.com

Please feel free to contact me directly with any questions or further information.

It's been a while...

2010-03-19T18:18:00.002-05:00

Sorry to be so long between blogs....My goal is to commit atleast once per month. Anyway....coming soon to Just Jeff's is our new Senior's Meal Solutions. Single portion, oven ready meals. Details soon to follow.
Talk to you soon.
Jeff

Windsor Economy

2009-10-27T17:09:00.005-05:00

I can't begin to tell you how sad it is to see all types of businesses closing down in the Windsor area. As a business owner, I can appreciate the amount of work, time and money put into a new business. No one wishes this type of fate to a business, even if they are a compeditor. We can only hope this economy will rebound sooner rather then later. It's depressing no matter which side of the fence you are on.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for there support and business. Thankfully, Just Jeff's is still going strong and has outlasted large food franchises in the area. We will continue to produce consistant quality products and impliment new services as time goes on.
Keeping your head up can be difficult at times....but it's one of the only things we have control of.

Eat Well... Without The Work!
See you soon.
Jeff

Holy Construction!!!!

2009-09-11T19:07:00.003-05:00

A very special thanks to all who are dealing with the construction on your trip to our store. We have construction to the north of us and to the south. This is the reason why we have extended the experation date (to September 30th) of our latest coupon which expired August 31st.
On a different note....a very special thanks to Ted Whipp and the Windsor Star for our latest story on September 2nd. Visit our Media Page for the whole story.
Keep Cookin'.....or better yet...let me do it for you!
Jeff

Festival Epicure - 2009

2009-07-06T19:04:00.002-05:00

Hi Everyone,
I just thought I'd take a sec to let you all know that I'm going to have a booth at Festival Epicure this year. Just in case you don't know about it, it is a wonderful Food and Drink Festival in front of the Casino July 10, 11 & 12. Our booth will have our popular Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya, Swedish Beef Meatballs over Smashed Potatoes, our New Chicken Fajita Handwich and our Famous Fried Wontons (we call "Nothings") Check out all the details at the Epicure Link located on the bottom left of our Home Page.
See you this weekend.
Jeff

twitter????

2009-06-10T19:12:00.002-05:00

yup, i'm now joining the twitter club....i'm not sure why (marketing i guess) but i refuse to show my age by not doing so. Don't expect much right away....but as i learn the ways of twitter, perhaps i will share lots more then I do on my blog. (no promises though)...im best in the kitchen!

http://twitter.com/
my user name is JustJeffs .... go figure eh!
Happy cooking.

Food Franchising

2009-03-04T20:35:00.003-05:00

As many of you already know we pitched our concept to 5 investors with the hopes of opening our first franchise in a major market (Toronto) which in turn would get the interest of future franchisees. We are now faced (due to today’s economic climate), with what seems like a much tougher task. Should we continue to look aggressively for investors or wait a while? How many potential investors are holding onto their money that much tighter…and might take a pass at this point…but might be more interested a year from now?

There’s two ways to look at it…ride out the storm and wait for calmer times before becoming more aggressive in seeking out franchisee’s and investors, or conversely, get very active in the market. The answer is actually fairly simple…we believe we should get aggressive, and get aggressive now. Why now? Because we still believe that being “first to market” is the key with this concept. There’s dozens of supper franchise’s out there that are all the rage, so let’s compare:

Just Jeff’s
Fresh With No Preservatives Meals
All Meals Ready In 8 Minutes!
No Pots and Plans to Clean
Buy as Much Or As Little As You Wish
No Appointment Necessary
In And Out Of The Store In 3 Minutes
Space Friendly Packaging
Tax Free
Free Delivery

Other Supper Franchises
Frozen With No Preservatives Meals
All Meals Ready In Up To 40 Minutes
Pots and Pans to Clean
Usually A Min of 1-2 Wks Worth of Meals
Have To Book Appt On Their Schedule
At Least 2 Hours Plus Travel Time
Bulky Containers
Add 13% Tax To Your Purchase
Delivery? I Don’t Think So…

With so many distinct differences between the two, we strongly feel that fresh well balanced no preservative meals will be commonplace in the next decade. Imagine someone today saying “I’m going to open a coffee/donut shop”….you’d laugh because you’d think Tim Horton’s has completely saturated the market. This is why I say “I’m going to open a “Fresh Meal Replacement/Catering Shop”…. Just Jeff’s is the only one that exists out there....First to Market!..... I hope to be the next Tim Horton!....(I even play hockey!) How many times have you heard someone say “I wish I bought a Tim Horton’s 10 years ago….”?

Home Meal Replacement is the largest growing food sector in the grocery business and with everyone more stressed for time than ever, it’s easy to see where the market is headed.

So wish us luck in the future, and if you know anyone who’s interested in a restaurant franchise, send them over to our Franchise Page for more detailed information. You’ll save them a lot of money, and we might just fill your fridge for finding us a franchisee! 

Keep Cookin’ On High….

Just Jeff’s Filming The Dragons’ Den

2008-12-04T21:19:00.002-05:00

By now, you may or may not know, that CBC decided not to air my filming for Season 3 of Dragons' Den. I’d like to share my experience with all of those who have followed my Dragons’ Den Ride. First off… No the Dragons did not invest. Keep in mind the Dragons are already rich, and have no interest in investing in anything that can’t make them big bucks in 2 years or less. With that in mind, I don’t think I aired because the Dragon’s couldn’t “beat me up”… I knew my numbers, I have sales and profits and a growing history. Unfortunately, that doesn’t make for exciting TV when you’re competing against people presenting hemp laced macaroons and serving upscale dog food to the Dragon’s!

Anyhow, this is how the day went as I remember.

I had to be at CBC Toronto Studio at 6am. Once I arrived (along with about 10 other pitchers) we were brought back stage to unload our props and meet the producer. All pitchers then had to quickly describe how we were going to pitch (and use our props). Once everyone got the thumbs up, we were all brought onto the Dragons’ Den Set (the one you saw on TV) They told us all to do the same thing…”come down the steps, walk to the X on the floor in front of the Dragons and begin your pitch. Your props will be ready for you.
Then we all went into a waiting room (where they fed us snacks and beverages). As you waited, they had a few investment advisors to assist you with your pitch and a TV showing last year episodes of Dragons’ Den.
I think I was in that room for about 3 hours, then they called me. I went to makeup and within 10 minutes I was at the top of the stairs waiting to walk down to the Dragons. I remember the backstage gal asking me if I was nervous…….yup was my answer!......then she said go!......I can’t believe I didn’t fall down those steps (I was so nervous)….I walked to the X and delivered my pitch… as I pitched I was boiling the bagged food in water describing the concept, telling them about growing sales and talking current profits. I remember once the food was ready having difficulty with dividing my food up onto 5 tiny little side plates as CBC wanted me to do. A lot of this is a blur, but I do remember the clicking of the plates as I brought them all the samples (my nerves). They really enjoyed the food and Robert said I could cook for him any day! Jim seemed really interested. I think he walked up to my table twice checking out the packaged food.
The funniest thing was from Kevin (go figure)….I was asked about the shelf life of the product and I told them what consumers want is fresh, fresh….not 40 days out. When I mentioned I only have 10 days, Jim talked about injecting gas…and I voiced my concerns about using preservatives, but said I was open to other means of shelf life extensions….Kevin then said “So what you are saying is you would put Rat Poison in your food to make a buck” I said I wouldn’t go quite that far Kevin!
Brett was pretty boring. … I really think he was judging me more then my concept...he asked about whether or not I was drawing a salary… at which I told him I was (there was some confusion there)… he then said I over evaluated my company…he was out.
Kevin kept saying there was no money in it for him….he was out. Robert said I had a good little business and wanted me to convince Jim, but otherwise he was out. Arlene and Jim were left… and I knew they were the ones I needed to sell this too…(I must admit I was shocked)…..Arlene said my pricing was too high… I narrowed my market with my price point. That is what confused me…when is the last time she bought a pizza, or just went out to dinner? With Just Jeff’s you could have ribs, chicken, rice and pasta for the kids at the same price as a Boston Pizza…for a mother of 4, I don’t think she got it…or I did a poor job of pitching it... she was out. Anyway, Jim really liked it, he mentioned he already had his people doing something similar, but really liked what I was doing. He was out, but did say he would have his people get in touch with me. I sure hope he is a man of his word.
And that is that… I walked away stunned, not because they didn’t invest, but because they didn’t get it. Being first to market is key…look at Tim Hortons… if I’d pitched a coffee shop with donuts 20 years ago they’d laugh….but Tim is laughing now….why, cause he’s the first one to market.
You have no idea how pissed I am at myself for not doing a better job at getting my point across. They didn’t try to take more of my company… there was no negotiation about it… They loved the concept, loved the food, liked the numbers, but all said no without a fight?????????

Hindsight’s 20/20… after looking back on it all, I know I sold them on the concept and product… maybe I didn’t sell them on me. Overall, it was a great experience, but I think I’d do things a little differently the next time – especially the way the show seems to be going. Unfortunately, as the show’s viewership grows, it’s become more and more about clown suits, rather than business entrepreneurs.
I truly appreciate all of the well wishes received – maybe we’ll get’em next time!

The Upside In a Downturn

2008-10-08T10:58:00.005-05:00

Everyday, the economic news both domestically and abroad continues to be gloomy. To say that we have moved into uncharted economic territory, is an understatement. Central banks and governments getting directly involved in propping up financial institutions with ridiculously large amounts of cash injections to keep the credit market afloat. Concerted and co-operative interest rate cuts on a global scale have been unprecedented. Everyone is rightly concerned about the future of their own household and business finances, and how the daily market changes are going to affect them.

In the hospitality industry, small and large businesses alike will revisit and rethink capital expenditures, carefully scrutinize payroll costs and put on hold opportunities to expand into new markets. Instead, the focus will be on cost cutting initiatives that will positively impact their bottom line. These initiatives will range from passing on added costs to consumers, to reducing advertising and branding expenditures, to perhaps cutting corners on value added products. Employers will create employee focus groups designed wholly to save money in all areas of the business.

While this type of cost cutting approach is well intentioned and to be expected, it is a path fraught with peril, and should be the last step a company takes in times of economic hardship. Instead of focusing on cost savings, businesses should instead be focusing on revenue enhancement. The reasoning behind this is twofold.

First, any changes you make to your product in order to save money, from how you package it, to how you service it or how you market it, will be noticed by your consumers. If it is a significant change, your business runs the risk of being viewed as inconsistent or erratic. Further, questions may come into play regarding the quality of your product. The thoughts of "what did else did they do to cut corners?" - will creep into the consciousness of your customers. These questions may continue to persist and haunt a company or franchise, long after domestic econonmic conditions have improved.

The second reason to focus on revenue enhancement, is to take advantage of your competitors that are turtling in tough economic times. It is much easier for businesses to hunker down and wait for the storm to pass, than it is to get out and get aggressive. While your competitors focus their attention and resources to save money internally, you can eat their proverbial lunch externally. By allocating greater resources to do everything from investigating new product markets, to stealing the competition's customers while they hide in their shell, you will have successfully positioned your company for far greater prosperity when financial conditions improve. There are many ways to do this without a great deal of added expense - you just have to do the work!

Take for example, the Toronto Travelodge Airport hotel. During the SARS crisis, they were the only Toronto property to actually increase occupancy during a time that thousands of area businesses were devastated. Their approach was simple - we can either fold our tents and slash services, or we can get extremely aggressive to bring business in. Another great example is Windsor's Just Jeff's Gourmet Express - a Home Meal Replacement company whose concept was recently chosen by CBC's Dragon's Den for filming for Season 3. Just Jeff's annual revenues have increased five fold in five years, in a region that has the highest unemployment rate in the province, along with drastically reduced business in both the tourism and auto sectors. Just Jeff's identified a unique product niche that addressed consumer's needs to eat well, but without the work!

What can your business do to take advantage of tough times in the market? Sit down with your employees and put everything on the table. Try to pinpoint cost effective initiatives that have a relatively high revenue upside. Identify consumer needs and explore ways to modify your business to take advantage of it. Do you look for ways to save money at the same time? Of course you do, but not at the expense of your brand, and not at the expense of losing market share to your competitors. If you focus on finding solutions to your guests' needs, you will be able to take advantage of a better economic climate when that time eventually comes around.

Don't Miss Out On This Holiday Feast!

2008-09-30T18:45:00.004-05:00

Sure you might be able to save a few bucks cooking it yourself.... but think of all the work involved....shopping, cleaning, roasting, preparing, cooking and more cleaning....then, preparing "on the day" for your guests while they relax!......well, you can relax with them....and for not much more then you would spend yourself.
Now-a-days, we don't get the time with family like we used to......so when you get it...enjoy it!
Just Jeff's Gourmet Express...... Eat Well...Without The Work!
Have a Great Holiday!

All Windsor Orders....please call (519)966-0997
Barrie Orders....please call (705)722-8824

How it Works!

2008-09-27T20:55:00.007-05:00

Is Just Jeff's worthy of investment?... you decide!
We believe it's the future of fast food!...do you?
Eat Well... Without The Work!

Click on the video and see just how easy Dinner can be!

2008-08-26T17:50:00.001-05:00

Just Jeff's Gourmet Express Inc. meal replacement concept has been filmed for this upcoming CBC Season 3 Drangons' Den... Do you think the Dragon's Invested? ( surveys)

Just Jeff's Mentioned on the Dragons' Den Again!

2008-08-13T19:59:00.002-05:00

Click on this link for the full story.....(nice job Jason Post!)

http://www.huroniabusinesstimes.com/businesstimes/article/113402

Kiosk Is OPEN!

2008-08-12T22:25:00.002-05:00

Open for business....Time to enjoy Fabulous Fresh Food Fast!

Eat Well...Without The Work! TM

Kiosk is setup and ready for Business!

2008-08-11T18:50:00.003-05:00

Here is a sneak peak at the kiosk in Devonshire Mall Jason & I set up late Sunday Night....It looks awesome (nice design Jason Thibert!). We hope to see you all soon. We should be open Tuesday afternoon (Aug 12th).

Just Jeff's In The Life & Times Paper

2008-07-31T10:27:00.003-05:00

Just Jeff's hits the paper again. The Life & Times Paper in Barrie writes about Just Jeff's Gourmet Express. Read the attached article for details.

Check Us Out On Dragons' Den Blog

2008-07-24T21:05:00.002-05:00

Looks like we made the Dragons' Den Blog....again....Did we get the cash?.....You'll have to wait and see....

... Checkout the link of us on their Blog... http://www.cbc.ca/dragonsden/blog2/

Talk to you soon....

Jeff

Jeff In The Den!

2008-06-12T20:04:00.004-05:00

Well the filming is over, (for me that is) and all I can say at this time is that I've finally stopped shaking! I'm not usually a nervous guy, I've done lots of TV, Radio and public speaking, but man this hit me like a ton of bricks.

Anyway, it was a whole lot of fun. I would do it again in a heartbeat. What a great unforgettable experience. Hats off to CBC's Dragons' Den Crew. Jason said it perfectly in the previous Blog.

Stay tuned for airing... I'll let you know the date as soon as I know.

BTW... Look for our new Heat & Serve Kiosk Outlet in Devonshire Mall sometime next month. Located in the main entrance hallway(between Tim Horton's & the Information Booth). So next time you're shopping (no matter what time of day), pickup your dinner on the way out. Nice fresh well balanced meal instead of the usual fast-food-fair. Just heat & serve.

Eat Well... Without The Work! TM

Experiencing The Dragon's Den!

2008-06-06T10:28:00.002-05:00

Well, the taping is done, and I have to say it was a pretty neat experience. Probably the hardest thing at this point, is the wait!

Season 3 starts sometime in the fall, with 10 episodes airing through November. Unfortunately, they do not tell you until 1 week beforehand, when you're going to be on air or if they even put your pitch on TV.

Just to give you some background numbers: Over 5,000 individuals and organizations made their pitches during the audition phase across the country. From that, they only select about 180 pitches to be filmed...or about 3%. Just to make it to this juncture is a pretty remarkable feat. Then, from there, about 80-100 pitches to actually make it to air, as they go through the editing process. I'm sure there are lots of reasons as to why some make it and some don't - what makes good TV, number of pitches relevant to industry, whether a deal is made or not...and of course, the few poor individuals who get belittled by the Dragon's - which is great for TV, but not so great if you're on the receiving end!

I'm happy to say, that Just Jeff's was not one of those pitches that incur the wrath of the Dragons, but that's about all I think I can say :)

I know Jeff is waiting to hear if there's certain things he can or can't say, before he posts about his pitch. I also have to add that the staff at CBC studio's were just terrific throughout the entire process- they really do an outstanding job.

We'll keep you updated...enjoy the heat!

My Pitch To The Dragon's

2008-05-27T22:08:00.002-05:00

Well, this is it... I leave Wednesday afternoon for the drive to Toronto. 7am @ CBC for my pitch!... I can't say much more about it... I'm sure all will work out no matter what.
Stay Tuned.

Dragons’ Den Pitch Preparation:

2008-05-15T21:39:00.004-05:00

As many of you already know, I have been asked to go to Toronto to film for CBC’s Dragons’ Den at the end of this month. Visit this site www.cbc.ca/dragonsden for details on the show if you don’t know much about it.

I’d love to know what you think of my pitch. Your feed back would be greatly appreciated.

Hello Dragons, my name is Jeff White, I am from Windsor Ontario and my company is Just Jeff’s Gourmet Express. Today I am asking you for your expertise & a $400 thousand dollar investment. I am prepared to offer a 25% stake in the business.
I came up with this concept about 8 years ago when my son was born. My wife and I became a busy duel income family trying to find time for good healthy food choices. I then developed my meal replacement concept. After 1 year of testing, it was my wife’s idea to go back to work fulltime so I could quit my job and focus on opening the store. We used the equity in our home and opened my store 3 months later.

What is Just Jeff’s? It is an innovative meal concept designed to put time back into people’s lives by offering fresh well-balanced meals in only 8 minutes.
In today’s fast paced society, we all want well balanced “fast food” choices, and Just Jeff’s has proven to be the answer!

Just Jeff’s sells fully prepared individual fresh meals with no preservatives added.
Simply, bring a pot of water to a boil, drop in the entrees, set a timer for 8 minutes and dinner is ready. One pot of water, mom can have salmon – dad can have ribs – the kids can have pasta blush with chicken.

Since the company’s inception 5 years ago, Just Jeff’s has grown from first year revenues of $130,000, to current revenues of over $500,000 in the struggling economy of Windsor.
To date we have a corporate store in Windsor, our first franchise in Barrie and we also sell our products at a KOA campground, a timeshare property, a frozen food outlet and are about to open a kiosk in a major shopping mall. As you can see, this is a very flexible product with respect to revenue growth.
We would like to open a kitchen in or around GTA with 2 additional outlets, bring awareness of the concept and branding in a large city. Your “First-to-Market” investment and expertise will jumpstart the real “money” picture… Franchises and the royalties from them.
Assuming each retail outlet can do Windsor numbers at the very least, 5% royalties on 10 franchises is quarter of a million dollars / year. Keep in mind that is using Windsor numbers. Imagine large city revenues like Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa etc.

So… what do you think? Feel free to post your comment on our Blog.

We would like more of your support. If you are a Facebook member, search Jeff White. Join our Facebook Groups!

Don’t forget about our new email address database for updated info and savings. Visit our website and enter your email address. http://www.justjeffs.com/

Stay tuned!

Jeff

Can Just Jeff's Tame the CBC Dragons?

2008-05-03T06:13:00.003-05:00

You may have heard of the show the Dragons' Den on CBC… where 1 million viewers a week tune in to watch entrepreneurs pitch their “next big idea” to five seasoned (and wealthy!) investors. The idea is to secure funding for their venture in order to make it big in the marketplace, in exchange for a portion of their company.

I’m now thrilled to tell you that Just Jeff’s has been selected to be on the show for the upcoming season!

After a fair amount of thought, I went to an audition in London to pitch our concept in front of pre-screeners, who would determine who makes it onto the show. My 2 minute pitch turned into half an hour of questions as I prepared a number of meals for them, just as you would at home…I simply dropped the items in boiling water and talked about where Just Jeff’s has been, and where we’d like to take it.

The response was simply incredible, and after waiting only a week and a half, I got the call that we had made it! Tentative filming takes place at the end of May. Unfortunately, we won’t know until about a week before which episode we’re on or when it will air, but I’ll be sure to let you all know as soon as I find out. Keep visiting our Blog to stay updated.

Most importantly, I want to thank all of you who have supported Just Jeff’s in Windsor and Barrie, and the concept of eating well, without the work. I truly could not have gotten to this stage, without your patronage and feedback.

BPA In Plastic? Yes we are 100% safe!

2008-04-21T20:58:00.002-05:00

Please note that Just Jeff’s, and all of our product containers are completely BPA (Biophensol A) free.

We have guarantees from all of our suppliers that none of our bags or containers contain this chemical compound, which is primarily found in hard plastics.

All of our bags are heat resistant and government approved products, which are completely safe for food use (boiling & freezing).

We appreciate your patronage, and please feel free to ask or discuss any questions or concerns you may have.

Eat Well... Without The Work!

Jeff

BBQ Season Is Finally Here!

2008-04-19T17:16:00.001-05:00

After a long winter, the time has finally come to fire up the grill and start cooking. Here are a few tips and tricks to practice this year:

1. Always use two plates for your food - one for the raw product, and one for the cooked product. Never mix the two.
2. Once your grill his hot, try rubbing the grill with a raw onion (cut in half) just before you put the meat on it. This prevents food from sticking. A raw potato cut in half works too.
3. Here is a simple rhyme to help you remember how high your fire should be for cooking different cuts/types of meat. “The smaller the meat, the higher the heat” This is true 95% of the time.
4. One of the most common grilling errors I see is over flipping the meat. Let the grill do its job when cooking. The best way to tell if meat is ready to be flipped is when you notice the edges cooking.
5. Next time you are at Canadian Tire or Home Depot, stop by the BBQ section and buy a bag of smoke chips… even if you don’t have a smoker, they work good when grilling steak or chicken. Simply drop a few chips on the coals just under your meat. Nice flavor!

Don’t forget the veggies!...dip any or all of the following into this marinate and grill slightly…you want good crunchy vegetables:
Asparagus, Thick Sliced Carrots, Sliced Zucchini, Red Onion Rings, Egg Plant, Bell Peppers, Portabello Mushrooms….

Marinade Recipe:

1 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp sesame oil, juice from one lemon or lime, 1 tsp salt and pepper, 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil, 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano, 1 tsp sugar. ( you could also add a touch of Tabasco and/or Worchestershire if you like a little zing.)

Mix all ingredients well then dip the vegetables in. You can do this about 2 hours prior to grilling. Just be careful when grilling as the oil could flare up. Cook veggies on medium low heat. Serve them hot or at room temperate. I like to grill them just before I cook my meat.

This marinade can be saved and re-used a week later, provided it was used for raw vegetables only. Keep refrigerated.

Happy Grilling.

Just Jeff's Survey - Win a $100.00 Gift Certificate!

2008-03-23T15:06:00.006-05:00

Win a $100.00 Gift Certificate!

Click on the link below (yellow type under Fabulous Fresh Food Fast!). You must enter your email address to win the Gift Certificate. You can complete the survey without entering your email address, however without your address you are automatically disqualified from the draw.

This Survey was designed to serve you better.
If you have other ideas or suggestions not noted in the survey, feel free to sent me an email.

Gift Certificate Draw – May 18th. Thanks for taking the time. See you soon.

Jeff White
Just Jeff’s Gourmet Express Inc.
3395 Howard Ave.
Windsor, ON.
519-966-0997
jeff@justjeffs.com

Fabulous Fresh Food Fast

If you shop at our Barrie location click here.
http://www.polldaddy.com/s/68C3D85AA27363FE/

If you shop at our Windsor or St.Clair location click here.
http://www.polldaddy.com/s/54F983CCDAC55C93/

Taste your food before you serve it!

2008-03-16T16:45:00.001-05:00

Seems like a simple enough premise to follow, but sometimes we assume it should taste fine because it’s based on someone else’s tried and true recipe.
So often have I had students submit a dish during an exam, and the first thing I always ask them is “how does it taste?” You’d be surprised at how many say, “I didn’t taste it… I just followed the recipe”. Big mistake… the cook is the last line of defense before your guests try the food you worked so hard on all day. The same can be said for the home cook. Having company over, you spend a lot of time cooking, yet you don’t complete the dish by seasoning it properly, or seasoning it too much. Better to start over again before you finish, than to serve a meal you’re less than thrilled with.

Remember, a recipe is simply a guide not a bible (unless you are baking). Don’t be afraid to add a little more salt or pepper if you need it or a tad more garlic…it’s always easier to add later…the key is to catch any issues before it’s too late.

Keep Cooking On High!

Barrie Open House A Huge Success!!

2008-02-20T15:40:00.002-05:00

Well, despite the fact we came off of a huge snowfall in Barrie the day before (40cm!), we had over 60 people turn out for the Open House on the afternoon of Friday Februray 8th. It was the perfect opportunity for both regulars to try out some items they hadn't had a chance to try before, and for those who simply haven't had the opportunity to stop by.

Many thanks to Jeff for making the long trek from Windsor in some nasty weather to help out for a couple of days. We also had the opportunity to be on the Rogers Daytime show, from 11am-Noon on the 8th, showing how Just Jeff's works, and Jeff prepared a few items at the same time. We're hoping to be able to post the tape of it on the website shortly, we're just awaiting permission from the station manager. Apparently they have rules about these things :)

If you still haven't dropped by to check out what we do, I would encourage you to take two minutes to do so. All of our food is available in a deli display fridge, and you simply choose the items you want, take them home and put them in your fridge. Then, at your convenience, drop all of your food into a pot of boiling water for 8 minutes and dinner is ready!!! No pots and pans to clean, and no prep time required.

Many thanks again to those who took the time to drop by Just Jeff's, and I look forward to seeing you again in the future.

Jason

Bix X Magazine's "City Smiles"

2008-02-11T21:47:00.001-05:00

Hi All......Have a look (read) the attached Doc.

Big thanks to all at Biz X Magazine.

If you can't read this, visit the following weblink...pg 12 i believe.

http://www.bluetoad.com/subscriptionfee.php?magazineid=1034_3

Keep cooking on high.

Tip of the Month

2008-01-21T21:27:00.000-05:00

How many times have you gone grocery shopping with good healthy food intentions? You would buy some fresh produce, with the intent to prepare a few dishes from scratch. With that in mind, how many times at the end of the week did you throw out that moldy onion, celery etc. because there was no time for your good intentions. Or, how many times did you find yourself in the mood to start cooking something, then when you open the fridge, you don’t have an onion (if you do, it’s gone rotten). Well, I have a simple solution to commonly used fresh ingredients always being around when you need them.

Step One:
Go to the dollar store and buy a few ice cube trays (a different colour from ones you already have if possible).
Dice all your onions and sauté them until soft, then let them cool.
Step Two:
Yup, you guessed it….fill the ice cube trays with the cooked diced onions and freeze. Once frozen (next day) remove them and keep them in a freezer zip lock bag until ready to use. Now, whenever you need some cooked onions in a recipe (like soup or cooked meat) toss in an onion cube. I won’t argue fresh is best, but the cube is better then no onions at all.
Another related tip (don’t ever mix up your real ice cube tray with your new onion (any food) tray……unless you like the flavour of onion in your ice tea! (yuck!).
Try this tip with garlic, ginger, celery etc.

Question of the Month (December)

2007-12-29T21:09:00.000-05:00

“We would like to eat at 7pm… can you deliver (or can I pickup) for 5pm?”

This is not a good idea, for several reasons. First, most food should never sit hot for more than 45 minutes. Every minute after that sacrifices the integrity of the product, as it slowly dries up. Would you ever have a pizza delivered to your home for 5pm and leave it in the oven to eat until 7pm? Obviously we all know the right answer…sometimes food that is catered is thought of a little differently, but ensuring the freshness and quality is paramount to its enjoyment! So when you plan your next catering with Just Jeff’s, if we can, let us deliver it 15 minutes before you plan to consume it. We will be proud to serve it to you, and you will be proud to present it to your guests. It’s a win-win for all of us.

Keep cooking.

Boiling Plastic

2007-11-18T20:18:00.000-05:00

Question of the Month:
“Is it safe to boil the plastic bags?”…
We occasionally get asked this question, and it’s a prudent one given concerns about all products on grocery shelves nowadays. What we can tell you, is that the plastic bags we use are Government approved and are considered safe for freezing and boiling. When water is boiled, it brings the temperature up to approximately 212F, which is hot to you and I, but not hot enough to break down the plastic. Another way to look at it - are boiled fresh vegetables, potatoes and chicken breast in red pepper sauce better for us then a cheese burger, fries and a large soda?... or pizza and wings? That depends on your belief. I do know that on average, the chicken, potatoes and fresh vegetables will cost you only about 2 bucks more then the latter. (not bad for a Toonie eh). One thing is for sure, if any new information becomes available to about boiling / freezing plastic, I will pass it along.

Keep on Cooking

Wine & Just Jeff's

2007-11-01T10:11:00.000-05:00

Most of you know by now that Just Jeff's food is a tasty and convenient way to enjoy supper, without all the work involved in preparing a well balanced meal.

It got me to thinking about how to make your dinner more complete, by pairing Just Jeff's food with wine. After all, if you've been lucky enough to have an outstanding dinner that is perfectly paired with a nice bottle of wine, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

There are a lot of aspects to consider when deciding what wine to enjoy with your meal, from the wine's acidity, to matching the body, or heft of the wine with what you are eating. The old rules of only red wine with red meat, and white wine with seafood are a thing of the past, as many wines today are incredibly versatile and can be matched with what used to be considered unorthodox pairings. For instance, Creekside's Sauvignon Blanc is superbly matched with the Veal Scallopini Tomato Pesto - the acidity in the wine compliments the acidity in the tomato sauce, and the body of the veal integrates well with the body of the Sauvignon Blanc. Conversely, Jackson Triggs Delaine Vineyard Pinot Noir is nicely matched with the Shrimp and Scallop Fettucini - the Pinot's flavor doesn't overpower the seafood, and the slight sweetness of the blush sauce is a nice contrast to the soft tannins in this particular wine.

The most important aspect in all of this, is to drink and eat what you enjoy, and that you take the time to experiment - after all, it is your palate and your tastes that are paramount. Besides, think of all the investigative work you'll have to do to find what works best for your tastes!

I'd be interested to know if you have enjoyed a particular pairing with Just Jeff's food, or if you would like more suggested matches or any general questions you may have. In the interim, I'm going to do some more investigative wine journalism, and report back in the next couple of weeks. Yeah, I know it'll be tough, but somehow I'll get through it :)

Prost!

Thanksgiving Weekend

2007-10-10T20:02:00.000-05:00

Watching Jason in Barrie experience his first holiday menu feature brings back memories… serving his guests a complete heat and serve menu so they can enjoy their company….this is very rewarding from our end, because we know you enjoyed your company and the food…very little shopping, no cooking, no prep work and best of all, very little cleanup… it’s hard to put a price on that… pop the food in the oven and actually sit and enjoy a glass of wine with mom, dad or grand mom….you will never, ever get that time back.

Just Jeff’s in Windsor (now open for 5 years) served over 500 pounds of turkey, over 140 pounds of ham, 100 pounds of stuffing, 200 pounds of potatoes and over 200 pounds of vegetables…..50 plus litres of gravy, not to mention all the additional bagged meals and catering orders that weekend…..sounds like a lot of consumer trust!..
We are very proud this holiday weekend almost doubled last year. We are even more proud of the fact that most of the names on the order list, were on the list last year, and the year before that. Your trust and happiness in us, is both our success!.. We will never forget that.

Thanks for a great holiday weekend… we hope to see you before the Christmas Holiday.

Keep Cooking on High!

How to get your kids to eat good things they don't like.

2007-09-09T06:38:00.000-05:00

We all know it’s a mind game…an ongoing battle trying to get your kids to eat foods other than chicken nuggets or mac ‘n’ cheese. I have 2 young wonderful kids too…I feel your pain… I’m a chef and it’s a struggle for me everyday.

That is, until I decided to grind up their food! One day, I made a simple tomato sauce then dropped in some cooked chicken breast, broccoli and mushrooms. Once this mixture came to a boil I then grabbed my hand blender (that is my secret weapon) and pureed the sauce. Topped cooked pasta with the sauce and then topped it with a little cheese. The kids just ate it up! They had no idea they were eating broccoli, chicken and mushrooms….it was Dad’s special pasta I told them! Try it with any foods…even fish… Drop the items into the simmering sauce so when they cook, all the nutrients remain in the sauce. Once cooked, puree away. You can do this with your favourite canned pasta sauce…. Tomato base, cream base, it doesn’t really matter, once you find a sauce they like, run with it, or should I say puree it!

Keep Cooking on High!

So far so good!

2007-08-27T16:16:00.000-05:00

Well, it's been a couple of weeks since we've been open, and so far so good! It's nice to have some guests come back 3 times already, and to have other's come in to say they've heard great things, even though we just opened up!

It says a lot about Jeff and his recipes, and the desire for people to have fresh well-balanced meals, as an excellent alternative to the fast food choices out there now.

With regard to the opening, it was a fair amount of work, that couldn't have been done without Jeff's assistance. Quite a few long days and late nights, but in the end, I know that we have replicated Just Jeff's Windsor location in terms of food quality, guest service and consistency. A huge thanks to Jeff for all of his help...it was nice to have someone to call when you have a question, makes me appreciate how difficult it must have been for him when he just opened up. I also appreciated his hard work during the opening, although I think he stayed late to help because I was supplying the beer - but I'm not totally sure on that ;)

Anyhow, we appreciate all the well wishes we've received, and we'll be updating on our progress as the business evolves.

Jason

First Franchise Open

2007-08-21T07:07:00.000-05:00

The Barrie Store is finally open!...WOW… I can’t begin to describe how cool it is to see my idea/concept/product in another city…looking and tasting exactly as it does in my store, as if it were all cooked by me. Jason Post is the owner of the Barrie Franchise. He believes in the concept, grabbed it by the horns and ran with it. After already experiencing a new business opening, I know what he went through (it was a very stressful, and at times a helpless process) he made it out with his head high ready to replicate quality and consistency. If you are from that area, be sure to stop in and say hello.

Congrats to you Jason
Talk to you soon,

Jeff

What's Just Jeff's and who is Jeff?

2007-07-19T21:55:00.000-05:00

I'm Cooking and Cleaning so you don't have to!

Just Jeff's Gourmet Express...Fabulous Fresh Food Fast!....Dinner On Your Table In 8 Minutes!

No Preservatives added...Made Fresh Daily...Sold Fresh Daily...Just Heat & Serve.

Meal Solutions For Time-Starved Families, Professionals, Seniors, Campers, Boaters and Every One Else.... I can't think of who wouldn't benefit from our service.

Who is Jeff?....check out the "Company Media" section"About Jeff" from our home page.

Talk to you soon.

Jeff’s Neapolitan Blog.

2007-07-19T20:49:00.000-05:00

Neapolitan Blog?...What the heck is that? It’s my creative 3 flavours in one message. Just like your favorite brand of Neapolitan Ice Cream, 3 completely different flavours in one…or in this case, 3 food related topics….
Sorry for the food analogy…it’s the chef in me…..anyway:

Flavour 1:
Company growth…soooooo scaaaaaarrrryyyyyy! Not so much how it happens, but why would I want it to happen? Is it greed? If you knew me…you would know that is not the right answer. I’m a simple guy who would be more than happy with watching my kids grow while I keep things moving at the business with the occasional time to go fishing and playing 18 holes of golf. When approached about franchising, I can’t deny it wasn’t part of the original vision or dream…however I never really thought it would ever come true. Selling multiple units in an X-amount period of time sets me back…not because I’m in uncharted waters, but because I’m concerned Just Jeff’s wouldn’t be the same from one place to the next. Holy standardization!...recipes, procedures, manuals and most importantly…the right person to see it through….manuals and procedures, no matter how detailed, they are only as good as the paper you print them on! Ensuring product consistency, standards and procedures…. You have no idea how much I appreciate franchise chains now!
So why grow? It’s the entrepreneur in me I guess, perhaps I’m getting a little bored with day-to-day operations. Let’s face it I’ve been cooking for 20 plus years, if given the chance we would all like to expand a little in our profession, like watching your family mature and grow. So stand by, I’ll keep you posted on any new growth.

Flavour 2:
Here are some of my tricks and tips with recipes.
Always remember when following a recipe…it’s a guideline not a bible! (unless you’re baking!)… if you do not like rosemary don’t put it in…or substitute it with what you like…perhaps thyme or sage. Write down your changes so you can remember what the heck you did….there is nothing worse then making the perfect dish and not being able to reproduce it. This is how chef’s stay up with the times…they see an idea or recipe in a book or magazine….they test it as printed…then they add their own personal touches and voila… they just made it their own…but if they didn’t document it…they could never reproduce it!

Cooking for guests?
When thinking about the entire meal and or side dishes to go with the main protein you plan to serve, I always think of colour. Imagine the following menu:
Pan-seared chicken marsala, roasted baby potatoes and fire grilled corn…..sounds pretty good eh….but now think of the colour in that dish. You have brown chicken, with darker brown gravy served with brown potatoes and yellow corn with brown grill marks….not overly appealing to the eye (tasty I’m sure). Now take that same chicken marsala and serve it with smashed Yukon gold potatoes infused with corn and garnished with grilled asparagus and red bell peppers….I’m sure you get my point now.

Cooking on occasion or for an occasion can be fun… make the best of it… cooking because you have to every day or for large groups is long hard work, and that is why I’m here.

Flavour 3:
Take this recipe as an example….make it once as printed, then give it you’re your personal evaluation…now add or delete things to make it your own with your own eyes (and tongue)…
Tender (fall-off-the-bone-ribs)
2-5 lbs of any rib you like….baby back, side ribs, button ribs, short ribs, beef ribs…who cares…..you pick.
Favourite BBQ Sauce….2 cups….any sauce you like…add a lot or a little.
Seasoning Salt
Water

The real secret isn’t the sauce…that is argumentative… it’s how you cook them…it’s all in the BRAISING….don’t boil them (unless you like to leave all the meat flavour in the water that you dump down the drain)…don’t marinate for days (waste of time with very little effect). Just peel the skin off the back side then season both sides (probably a little heavier seasoning then you think might be enough). Place seasoned ribs on a tray (fanned out evenly) and ½ cup water then cover with parchment paper then foil. Make sure the foil covering is tight, this will minimize the amount of steam lost during the braising process.
Place the pan into a pre-heated 375 degree oven and bake for 1.5 hours. Now remove from the oven and pull back a corner of the foil to allow the steam to escape (be careful the steam comes out fast and is very hot). Let rest for 15 minutes.
The above steps can be done the day before serving.
Now you are ready to eat, sauce up the cold ribs then warm them on the BBQ (low-medium low heat)….remember the ribs are fully cooked, they just need to be warmed and perhaps a little charring. 10-15 minutes tops depending on the size of the ribs you cooked… enjoy tender fall-off-the-bone ribs.

Talk to you soon,

Who wants my money?

2007-06-15T19:20:00.000-05:00

One of the interesting things I've experienced so far in opening this outlet, is how many businesses just aren't interested in taking my money. It doesn't seem to be so much poor guest service - we encounter that all the time, just the same as you occasionally encounter outstanding guest service. No, it appears to me that some companies are simply too busy to take on the extra "headache" of another customer.

I've had companies want to charge an outrageous amount to perform a service - simply because they already had too much on their plate...and others, who just never returned phone calls or answered repeated e-mails, even though it could have resulted in thousands of dollars in revenues for their time. Is it a matter of not taking the time to hire additional help, a labor shortage in their field, or is it that the additional business will interfere with their home and leisure time? More than likely, it's a combination of the above. It's not an approach I understand on any level...each one of the above "reasons" can be fixed one way or another..it's simply a matter of doing the work!

The good news is, that I've been able to work with some outstanding individuals who really do care - and have offered information to help save money, or things to look out for when pricing out a job. I suppose it's like most places you work at - you get to work with some people who really care and go out of their way to help, while at the same time you have to work with individuals who seem to be more of a hindrance than anything else.

For the record (and I know I speak for Jeff as well), we will do whatever we can to get and keep your business. It's too important to what we do and who we are, to have any other response.

The Big Leap

2007-05-28T09:42:00.000-05:00

Probably 4-5 times in our life, we come to a crossroad. It can be a myriad of things - going to university across the country, deciding which career we want to pursue, getting married, having children. Much of who we are, and what we accomplish are defined and shaped by these life changing events. For me, the decision to own my own business a little later in life, is one of those watershed moments.

Your chosen career - where you work and what you do - often becomes routine - and with that routine comes a safety net to guide you along. That safety net literally holds in you place - both a comfort for grounding, as well as a limitation of what you can do. The routine that never changes for years and years works exceptionally well for some - perhaps based on one's genetic makeup, or decisions that were made at a previous crossroad. Other's revel in the chaos of the moment, unsure of what is going to happen next living in the unstable thrill of moving from one career to another. I think that most of us fall in the middle. You continually try to improve what you do and how you do it in measured and calculated steps.

In one of my calculated steps about 8-9 years ago, I took the position of Director, Food & Beverage at the Windsor Hilton, and got to hire Jeff White as the Executive Chef from Casino Windsor. We worked together for almost two years before we went our seperate ways - but we still kept in touch. He was getting tired of the grind of the hospitality industry, and told me about his crazy idea to put cooked food in a bag and sell it to people. I nodded my head and said (as good friends do) "hey that's really interesting!". But all the credit in the world to Jeff as he stuck with it and developed his concept (pardon the pun), literally starting from scratch. Now he's been in business for almost 5 years with month over month and year over year success in the difficult economic environment of Windsor...selling a concept that appeals to virtually everyone. Of course, you can't sell a concept without the product to stand behind it, and that's the beauty of Just Jeff's Gourmet Express.

Most of my entire working life, I've spent in the hospitality business (over 20 now), lots of long hours, weekends, and holidays. I've been married for almost 10 years with two children - I was getting tired of missing everything they did, and forcing my wife to be a virtual single mom for most of the time. So over the last year or so, I began talking a lot more with Jeff about his crazy idea, and how we could work together to build a great business. Coming to the decision to open the 2nd franchise of Just Jeff's wasn't easy - I was leaving a good job as Director of Food & Beverage at Taboo Resort, but with my wife's support, we realized that this was our crossroad to do something different in this stage of our life.

So finally, in the middle of April, I left my job at Taboo and have been working earnestly towards a second "Just Jeff's" in Barrie. It was time to make the big leap to see what we can really do with Jeff's crazy idea!

How Just Jeff's was born.

2007-05-25T17:34:00.000-05:00

In 1996 I came up with this crazy idea. I was the Executive Chef at Hilton Windsor and was tired of having to purchase prepared products to save on labour costs. Most of these products were delivered raw and vacuum sealed….I thought, why not take it to the next level?... Cooked and complete….no I’m not a genius…green giant has boil in a bag cream corn and sous vide cooking was well on it’s way….. I just thought, what a great way to have a restaurant quality meal in your own home, without all the hassle? After two years of testing (thanks to my wife and her co-workers) the menu was created. They were all guinea pigs to my concept. They gave me both positive and negative points to what I have done….after further research and drive, I credit my wife to pushing me over the cliff with this concept. In 2002 Just Jeff’s was born. It was a hard sell early on, who would spend 7 to 12 bucks on food in a bag?....but once they tried it, they were hooked. Once they realized and appreciated the quality of the food and the lack of work and time on their part…. they saw the convenience, and how it could help them get more time to spend with their families, and doing whatever they wanted to do. If you were to prepare your own meal in comparison, factor in the following:

All the prep work (cutting/cleaning/spicing all the raw food), cooking time, cleaning and not to mention if you bought the ingredients…how much would you throw out at the end of the week?....imagine all that extra time with your family, or doing the things you want to do day to day. Sure you could save a few bucks buying burgers and fries….but for only a few more bucks you could have salmon, rice pilaf and fresh vegetables…and it’s all fresh…no preservatives.

In closing…I’m a dad with a beautiful wife and two young children….as a working chef in a hotel, I was putting in 60 plus hours a week leaving little time for my family (as I’m sure you can all appreciate)….I came up with a concept that would free up my time and better yet, your time…..it’s a win win for everyone. It’s time now to stop feeling guilty about feeding your family fast food.

Just Jeff’s - Fabulous Fresh Food Fast!

New Location in Barrie

2007-05-17T13:10:00.000-05:00

We are excited to announce that our newest location, in Barrie Ontario, will be opening this summer!