When Chef Jacob Mitzel was 16 years old, he started working in the cafeteria at Penn State’s York campus. That’s where he derived his passion for the food and beverage industry. After high school, he attended the Pennsylvania School of Culinary Arts. When he graduated in 2012, he decided to hone his skills and gain as much knowledge as he could by working at various establishments, from family-owned restaurants to resorts.
While Mitzel’s family came from York, where he was born and raised, the time had come to venture out into the world. As he explored some bigger cities, he stumbled upon Charleston and fell in love with the area. During his visit in 2018, he set up interviews and secured a position at The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort. Over his four-year tenure there, he worked his way up to executive sous chef.
In 2022, the role of executive chef opened up at Islander 71 and he made the move. While he enjoyed working in the bustling, high-volume kitchen, he craved the creative side of the culinary profession in a more upscale space where he could run specials. Having heard about Long Island Cafe, he spoke with the owners in 2024 and took the next step in his journey by accepting a position with the restaurant.
“The most rewarding part of the job,” Mitzel said, is “having creative ownership and inventiveness. Plus, working alongside the amazing crew who have been there for years is exciting.”
Mitzel said his favorite dish to make is the pasta of the day, which is usually the best seller. He added that other consistent crowd-pleasers are the crab-stuffed grouper and pan-fried flounder.
Behind the scenes, Mitzel works with the lunch crew from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Dinner starts at 5 p.m. “That break time gives me space to work on the evening’s specials,” he said. “That’s also when our team gets together to talk through creative ideas and projects.” He added that local seafood has always been a staple of the Long Island Cafe since they opened in the ‘80s.
Outside of the kitchen, Mitzel said he does cook at home. Because his wife Claudia is Peruvian, Mitzel enjoys experimenting with Peruvian dishes, such as his favorite, ceviche, and sourcing ingredients he wouldn’t typically use every day. Having traveled five times to Peru and twice to Mexico, Mitzel said he has curated a collection of cookbooks from Latin America that he often turns to for inspiration.
By Sarah Rose
Leave a Reply