Jo's is familiar to many students for its well-stocked supply of Pop-Tarts and pita chips, but how many Brunonians know the people who provide chicken Carberry sandwiches and curly fries night after night?
The masterminds behind the spicy chicken are actually students from one of Brown's neighboring institutions, Johnson and Wales University. JWU's College of Culinary Arts is known as one of the nation's best culinary schools and boasts alums such as the Food Network's Emeril Lagasse, host of the cooking show "Emeril Live."
Each semester, 15 to 20 of those culinary students following in Chef Emeril's footsteps at JWU are employed at Brown's own campus eatery, Josiah's, which is commonly refferred to as Jo's.
Though not all of the JWU students receive class credit for their work at Jo's, some can receive up to 15 credits - the equivalent of full-time student status - for each semester of employment.
Those who get full credit for preparing chicken Carberrys are employed through a JWU co-op program that ensures each culinary student spends one semester employed in the culinary industry. The program requires co-op students work 40 hours a week. Each shift at Jo's is eight hours with a one-hour break.
James Powell, a JWU culinary student employed at Jo's, told The Herald that the co-op students are also required to spend time working at the quesadilla and stir-fry station and, by the end of the semester, have to invent a new dish appropriate for the eatery's menu. Brown student patrons then fill out comment cards to review the new food. None of these dishes become permanent items on the menu, Powell said.
Perspectives from behind the grill
Powell, a JWU senior from Philadelphia, Penn., majors in baking and pastry arts at the school and has been working at Jo's since the end of his freshman year.
"If I tell you everything that happens here, it's going to fill up your whole book," he said.
Ramarr Robinson, a JWU senior originally from Newark, N.J., is the only non-culinary student working at Jo's. He does not receive academic credit for the three eight-hour shifts he has been working each week since February.
Powell and Robinson said Jo's was put under new management at the end of last semester. Under the previous management, they said, Jo's employees were allowed to take food home at the end of the night and to interact with Brown students. Now, under new management, things are different.
"This place used to be fun, but now it's not anymore." Powell said. "Everyone used to love it here. You could talk to the kids, even though you'd get pissed off at them when they come in drunk."
In addition to the once-lenient atmosphere, the cooks also used to find ways to entertain themselves.
"We had a bet about how many people are going to ask for pizza bites," Powell said, adding that the eatery no longer sells them.
Though Jo's three new managers are there everyday, Robinson said they rarely speak directly with the cooks unless something is required of them.
"They think we (are) just workers, but we (are) people," he said. "They can talk to us."
So what do Jo's workers think of us?
A popular student hangout and dinner locale after the dining halls have closed, Jo's - as one of two campus eateries open until 2 a.m. - is also often frequented by drunk students late at night. This has left the Jo's cooks with unusual impressions of Brunonians.
"The cashier supervisors (from Brown) who I actually get to talk to are some of the most hardworking people I have ever met," said Erica, a Jo's worker and JWU senior who did not give her last name. "It just sucks that these incredible, hardworking people are under the stereotype of people who wander into Jo's drunk at 1 a.m."
Powell added: "Some of these Brown students are complete wackos. ... And some are assholes, but you know what, they make the job fun."
Each cook eagerly imparted numerous stories about encounters with Brown students while on the job.
"Last year, a guy walked in (wearing) a penis costume, and he was just running around, and then right after that happened I (saw) two girls kiss and then right after that, the fire alarm went off," Robinson said. "Just like that, in one sequence. It was hilarious."
Erica told The Herald that a young woman the cooks knew once came into Jo's clearly under the influence of some substance and eagerly looking for spicy chicken. The cooks had to guide the student to the chicken themselves, Erica said.
"They come in drunk, and dance," Powell said. "Just seeing some of these kids dance..." he trailed off, shaking his head. He and Robinson then demonstrated the dance moves, doing the "running man."
"Every day you see something new," Powell said.
So, what parting words of advice did the Jo's cooks offer to their Brown student customers?
"Don't get drunk before 11," Powell said.
"And please stop harassing us when you're drunk," added Erica.
