Our story is pretty darn sweet Y’all.
Meet Joe + Linsey- owners + operators of Southernish!
Joe and Linsey met in 2012, each on very different paths. Joe was working in construction, and Linsey had stepped away from her culinary training to pursue a career in local government. It was in their own kitchen at home—cooking together, experimenting, and sharing meals that everything started to shift. That’s where Joe discovered not just a love for cooking, but a real talent for it.
What began as home cooking quickly grew into something more. Joe went on to work in the kitchens of some of Chicago’s most notable chefs, building his skills through determination, grit, and a genuine passion for food. With a love for Southern cooking and a desire to create something of his own, he launched Southernish as a cooking blog at the start of the 2020 pandemic, never imagining how much it would grow.
A 10-year Army veteran and former construction manager, Joe is no stranger to hard work. With no formal restaurant experience (aside from a college pizza joint), he walked into an open call for cooks with a major hospitality group and earned a stage at one of the city’s most celebrated new restaurants. His drive and commitment quickly turned that opportunity into a full-time career in the kitchen.
Meanwhile, Linsey’s journey back to food came full circle. Though she had culinary training, it wasn’t until she and Joe took the leap to build Southernish together that she found her place in the business. Today, she brings creativity to desserts and keeps everything running behind the scenes. From planning to operations, Linsey’s job is helping turn big ideas into reality.
What started as a blog evolved into a personal chef service, bringing restaurant-quality dining into people’s homes. And now, Southernish is entering its next chapter.
With the opening of our culinary studio in Lemont, we’re expanding beyond the dining table and into a shared space for learning, gathering, and creating. Our studio is home to hands-on cooking classes, workshops, and private events—designed to bring people together over food in a way that feels approachable, engaging, and fun.
At its heart, Southernish has always been about connection—whether that’s through an in-home dining experience or around a communal table in our kitchen. We’re here to help people cook more confidently, gather more often, and find joy in the process.
And we’re just getting started.
Southernish is a certified “Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business” by the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs. For us, pursuing this designation was an act of pride. Joe has done many things in his life- and serving our country is one he is immensely proud of.
What does Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business mean, exactly?
To qualify the business must meet the following (and plenty more) guidelines:
51% or more of the business is owned by a Veteran
That Veteran has a disability that is related directly to his (or her) military service, confirmed by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense. Disability, defined by the VA as it applies here, is "having a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity".
Many Veterans suffer from physical as well as mental impairment due to the nature of military service/ combat. This designation is just one way that we can show our pride for Joe's service, and for his determination to find his path and passion after completing his Military service. It has not always been an easy route, but Chef Joe has found his calling with cooking and, uses it as another vehicle to serve others.