ABOVE: The America’s Best Restaurants equipment van; outside Jocko’s at start of Wednesday’s lunch hour.
When hungry lunchtime customers came into Danville’s Jocko’s Restaurant at 11 AM Wednesday (Sept 2nd), restaurant manager Kim Watson and service manager Beth Haurez were busy at one of the tables being interviewed by America’s Best Restaurants’ Sean Kelly. As Watson recalled for CIMG afterwards; she saw an ad, got in touch with Jocko’s owner Natalie Diveley; and everything just started to happen.
AUDIO: I just happened to see an add on Facebook, and sent it to my boss, Natalie; and next thing I knew we were signed up for it. We met with them in Las Vegas, and now we’re here.
Both Watson and Haurez told us the entire Jocko’s staff was ready; to just make it a regular day while the cameras rolled.
AUDIO: So exciting for Vermilion County to be recognized to have a restaurant for America’s Best Restaurants; little old Danville. (And did you tell the server staff just be yourselves, like any other day?) They’re fine. We told them they’d be in the background; and they just need to do what they do every day.
(1st Picture) Jocko’s Kim Watson (L) and Beth Haurez (R). (2nd Picture) The Wednesday lunch hour at Jocko’s just getting underway. (3rd Picture) Beth and Kim being interviewed by America’s Best Restaurants’ Sean Kelly.
Kim Watson has been with Jocko’s for 18 years, and Beth Haurez for 31 years. In fact, Beth’s worked for all three owners: Natalie Diveley, her father Steve Diveley, and his father Jocko Diveley. Kim recalled Jocko Diveley’s early business days.
AUDIO: (He) originally owned a root beer stand on Route One. He was a businessman and entrepreneur. He was part of the corporation of Pizza Inn, 1972. However, he didn’t want to use their recipes, he wanted to come up with his own recipes.
And come up with his own, he did. America’s Best Restaurants will be looking specifically at three Jocko’s dishes, plus an overall view of the menu. ABR’s Sean Kelly says they will show Jocko’s the proposed final product, make any changes needed; and then about eight weeks from now have the final show on both America’s Best Restaurants’ social media platforms and Jocko’s social media platforms. The episodes are about 10 minutes long.
AUDIO: Because at the end of the day, it’s a digital world that we live in, right? So like, for instance, we’re holding phones right now 24/7 whether it be for work, or for enjoyment. So that’s where the marketing aspects of our company comes in.
And of course, you can always start your search by Googling America’s Best Restaurants.
