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New Smokehouse Opens in Palmyra Chef Joshua Ball and Sous Chef Jerome Smialek at the large smoker in the kitchen. Photo by Wayne Brown Published: February 02, 2011 By Wayne Brown Two J’s Smokehouse officially opened Jan. 19 where Route 53 meets Route 15 in Palmyra. The building’s exterior has a rustic look which is very suitable for this type of eatery. The J’s are the two owners: Chef Joshua Ball and Sous Chef Jerome Smialek. Ball’s wife Megan is usually behind the counter taking orders for items such as pulled brisket, pork, chicken, St. Louis cut spare ribs and more. Ball has worked in restaurants on the East and West coasts since he was a youngster. In middle school, he did some work for West Palm Beach restaurants before the family moved to Richmond where his father worked in the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals. When Ball began high school, he took a restaurant job but left after a week. “I figured I didn’t want to be a dishwasher any more,” he said. “After that I started working for a local restaurant as a prep cook and I worked the salad stations.” Later, he moved up to doing sauté. “By that time I think I was a sophomore in high school so I started working real young.” At 18, he went to Charleston where he said his cooking career started. He apprenticed to French Chef Philippe Million, who is well-known in and out of France, according to Ball. He said it was fine dinning with 10- to 12-course dinners. Next, he was nearby at Keswick Hall doing hot appetizers. “When I left there I was saucier ... in charge of making all the sauces and prepping all the meats and cooking them during service. In the French Brigade system it’s the one right under the sous chef.” He was sous chef in a new Richmond restaurant where he met Megan who was the bartender. After a few years there they lived in Washington, D.C., where Ball was sous chef at Dahlia and also at Citronelle. Three years later they moved to San Diego where he was Pastry chef at a three-level concept restaurant. One might wonder where he learned how to barbeque. It was when they moved back to Richmond. “While waiting for a restaurant to open,” he said, “I got back into catering and that’s where I got in barbequing.” With the restaurant owner he opened Q Barbeque, just outside Richmond, and became chef and pit master. They travelled around the country doing events such as NASCAR races. After a one-and-a-half-year break to raise his daughter they wanted to open a restaurant in Palmyra where his mother and some family lived. “I had been looking at this place for a long time and thought it could be a perfect BBQ restaurant. When attempts to rent it failed in July, he went to California looking for a place to move to. Out of the blue at 5 a.m. one morning he had a phone call from a realtor saying the owner would negotiate. So the much-travelled chef returned, rented the property with his co-owner and put in special equipment, such as a wood-burning stove and large smoker. While they plan to build gradually, on opening night they had a substantial 110 customers. Ball said new items will be added to the menu as they go along, and this was seen two days after opening when pork chops were listed. At the bottom of the menu it states that the meats are from animals raised without hormones or antibiotics. The owners are awaiting a beer and wine permit. Some of the wall paintings decorating the comfortable restaurant are by Sous Chef Jerome Smialek. (11) Comments • Email This Article |
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by Fred Gruber of IF everything is as good as your Hushpuppies, BONA Feb. 5, 2012, 03:31 PM Passing by, I stopped in 2/4 for a look-see and takeout menu (I live 29 miles away in Louisa). I bought an order of Hushpuppies to eat in car - they were as good as I have ever had. I’ll be driving back to try the rest of the menu. Fred 2-5
by William Barnes of Louisa,Virginia Dec. 27, 2011, 09:43 AM Hi Yall! I live in Louisa,Virginia about a twenty minute drive from Two J’s. There are two other barbecue places in the area,and they are good,but not as good as Two J’s. I have been to this place over six times the pass several months. My friend from Fairfax and I make it a habit to come here when he is in town. The food is always great. Even the coleslaw is very good.
by SALLY of WAYNESBORO, VA Mar. 19, 2011, 05:46 PM HAVING LIVED IN TEXAS FOR MANY YEARS, I COULDN’T HELP BUT NOTICE SOME OF THE DETAILS SUCH AS THE ARMADILLO, THE STAR OF TEXAS, AND THE LONG HORNS. IT SPARKED THE THOUGHT THAT YA’LL MIGHT HAVE SOME KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT REAL BBQ MEANS. HOPING THE ITEMS WEREN’T JUST TRICKS TO MAKE ONE BELIEVE YOU KNEW HOW TO BBQ. IN SHORT? YOU HIT THE TARGET!! NOW, I’M NOT A HUGE FAN OF PORK BBQ, NEVER HAVE BEEN, MY TASTES RUN TOWARDS MORE BEEF. HOWEVER, WE ORDERED BOTH, AND THEY WERE SUPERBLY SMOKED, AND NOT TO THE POINT OF ARROGANCE, NOR OVER-POWERING. YOU KNEW JUST WHEN TO STOP THE PROCESS, THERE WAS NO THRASHING OF SPICES AND LIQUIDS, JUST PURE SMOKED MEAT!!! WE’LL RETURN FOR THE RIBS AND THE SAUSAGES, YOU CAN COUNT ON IT!! PLEASE DON’T CHANGE A THING. REMEMBER, “IF IT AIN’T BROKE, DON’T FIX IT.“
by Jack Feb. 28, 2011, 12:49 PM Mmmm, just reading this story makes my mouth water. I love ribs and pulled pork and other grilled meats and barbecue. I actually just bought a nice grill and some outdoor Furniture for summer grilling outside. Submit Your Comments Below
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