Remembering Longtime NCC Executive Chef Joe Rodriguez

Michelle Lang — Tue, 03 Sep 2019 19:40:34 +0000

Jose “Joe” Rodriguez worked at 91��Ƭ for nearly 33 years before his retirement in January. He passed away Aug. 10 at the age of 84. Photo courtesy of Anne Marie Ventura.

Many who are part of the 91��Ƭ network know the name Joe Rodriguez. He served as the executive chef for the organization for nearly 33 years. He passed away Aug. 10 at the age of 84.
Rodriguez retired this past January, working well beyond the age when people typically retire.
“He was a hard worker. And he loved 91��Ƭ, that’s for sure,” said daughter Anne Marie Ventura. “He liked the work and he liked the people. He made a home there.”
NCC’s late founder Monsignor William J. Linder hired Rodriguez to be the chef to oversee the opening of the Priory Restaurant. 91��Ƭ five years later, Rodriguez was transferred to Extended Care where he remained for the rest of his NCC career. He oversaw the meals prepared for the nursing home residents in addition to preparing meals for NCC special events and several schools NCC served.
“It isn’t often that you see the dedication that Joe Rodriguez brought to NCC every day for almost 33 years,” said 91��Ƭ CEO Richard Rohrman. “I never heard a harsh word come out of Joe’s mouth. He was truly part of the NCC fabric. Every meal that Joe produced was important. He will be missed by all of us.”
Ventura said Rodriguez loved to cook, even when he wasn’t working. She said he would cook for his family and for parties hosted by family members and friends.
“I’m looking through all his things and behind every little paper, there’s a menu,” she said.
In addition to his love of cooking, Rodriguez enjoyed helping others. He fed the homeless at his church, Immaculate Conception in Elizabeth, about once a month and spent Thanksgivings cooking turkeys for those in need.
“Joe loved his job and cooking was a passion of his,” said 91��Ƭ Board Member and Outreach Coordinator Madge Wilson. “He exuded a little ray of sunshine each time that I saw him. He was an exceptional and extraordinary person.”
Ventura said Rodriguez was a good father and was dedicated to his family. He was very close with his wife who passed away in 2015. Rodriguez leaves behind three daughters and eight grandchildren.
“He was a real family man. He just always wanted to make us happy and he was very generous. He was always there for us,” Ventura said. “He was a funny guy but he was very strong willed and very religious.”
Rodriguez was in the seminary for a time.
“He really had some strong Catholic values and he instilled them in all of us,” Ventura said.
Rodriguez had great respect for Monsignor Linder, who often made requests for his food.
“My dad made some amazing soups and pastries,” Ventura said. “And Father Linder would put his orders in.”
Rodriguez also had a strong work ethic, rarely taking time off. He would even travel to work in a snowstorm to make sure food was prepared at Extended Care.
Even in retirement, Rodriguez continued to cook. He planned a July 4 barbecue with his family that included king crab legs, clams casino, spare ribs and fried chicken. He wasn’t feeling well when the day came, but the family pitched in by following his instructions and pulled everything together.
“He was very proud to show off his food and also that we helped him,” Ventura said.
91��Ƭ will host a Memorial Mass in Rodriguez’s honor Sept. 27 at 4 p.m. at St. Joseph Plaza.

NCC Executive Chef Joe Rodriguez Retires

Michelle Lang — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 18:08:35 +0000

Joe Rodriguez retired after nearly 33 years of service to 91��Ƭ. Photo courtesy of Frances Teabout.

Long-time 91��Ƭ Executive Chef Joe Rodriguez has retired after nearly 33 years with the organization.
Rodriguez first came to 91��Ƭ to be the chef to oversee the opening of the Priory Restaurant. At the time, Rodriguez’s daughter worked as an attorney for 91��Ƭ and she told NCC Founder Monsignor William J. Linder that her father was a chef. Monsignor Linder met with Rodriguez and after three interviews, offered him the job.
Prior to joining 91��Ƭ, Rodriguez worked at for-profit restaurants and said he didn’t understand the concept of a nonprofit organization.
“[Monsignor Linder] explained it to me. If we make any money, then we just put it back into the community. And I kind of liked the idea,” Rodriguez said. “So that’s why I came to work for him. And that’s why I stayed.”
Rodriguez not only stayed, but remained committed to his work while at 91��Ƭ.
“It isn’t often that you see the dedication that Joe Rodriguez brought to NCC every day for almost 33 years. I never heard a harsh word come out of Joe’s mouth,” said 91��Ƭ CEO Richard Rohrman. “He was truly part of the NCC fabric. Every meal that Joe produced was important. He will be missed by all of us but will have more time to spend with his loving family.”
Once hired, Rodriguez said he had 30 days to open the Priory Restaurant, which was challenging but he pulled it off. The day before the restaurant was slated to open, Monsignor Linder brought employees to order anything they wanted from the menu.
“That was the last test,” Rodriguez said.
NCC Board Member and Outreach Coordinator Madge Wilson said it was clear Rodriguez was special as soon as he came on board.
“When Joe Rodriguez joined the NCC family back in the 1980s, I knew that we had a gem; a loyal and dedicated person that we could trust in working for 91��Ƭ as a chef,” she said. “My only wish is that we could find more dedicated people to work as Joe exemplified a love and dedication to 91��Ƭ.”
After working at the Priory Restaurant for about five years, Rodriguez was transferred to Extended Care. Once there, he oversaw the meals prepared for the nursing home residents in addition to preparing meals for several schools NCC served at the time and NCC special events.
“His dedication to the residents of Extended Care and 91��Ƭ in general is unquestionable,” said Extended Care Administrator Veronica Onwunaka. “Joe never left us because the weather was bad, because he’s coming from a far distance, he had a sick wife he was managing or he himself didn’t feel well. Joe would get in here. Because he wanted to make sure that the residents were fed the proper meal.”
Rodriguez got into the food industry out of necessity.
“When I came to America way back in the ’50s, there were no jobs,” he said. He was doing a bit of work at a hotel when a chance encounter led to his career.
“While I was having a beer, the guy that was sitting next to me, who I had never seen before, said to me, ‘Are you working?’ I said, ‘Not really.’ So he said, ‘You want to work for me? You see that diner over there? That’s my diner. If you want to, you come.’ And I worked for that man for many years,” Rodriguez said.
He didn’t attend culinary school but learned his craft by working. He said God blessed him with the ability to be able to recreate a dish he sees made one time, which also helped him excel.
Rodriguez worked long past the age when most people retire. At age 84, he said he still gets up around 4 a.m. because he’s used to being an early riser. His shift started at 5 a.m. When there were special events, he would stay through to the end, which could be quite late into the evening. He said he never required too much sleep though.
“Even if I go to bed at 2 o’clock, I can get up,” he said.
Rodriguez lives in a ranch house in Garwood. His wife passed away four years ago so he lives alone. He has three daughters and nine grandchildren. Two of his daughters live in Westfield and one lives in Flanders. He has a sister in Puerto Rico.
Rodriguez enjoyed his time working at NCC.
“I think 91��Ƭ is a challenging place to work but an excellent place to work,” he said.

Priory Restaurant – 91��Ƭ

Remembering Longtime NCC Executive Chef Joe Rodriguez

NCC Executive Chef Joe Rodriguez Retires