Chef Jamie Daskalis is a graduate from the Culinary Institute of America with a degree for Baking & Pastry. She has worked in the restaurant business for 20 years. Growing up her father had four restaurant locations in New York. It was in those restaurants that her love of the food started. After graduation, a new opportunity arose in Myrtle Beach. Here she found an amazing sense of community where she enjoys giving back to the people that support her on a daily basis. Recently, Chef was awarded “Best Chef” from South Carolina Woman Magazine and Grand Strand Magazine and is super excited for the release of her first cookbook this year entitled “Making It Delicious.”
Jamie really put a lot of thought into opening Johnny D’s in the Grand Strand –– from menu creation, recipe testing and retesting, food costing, plate presentation, menu design, photographs and product testing were done to ensure the best possible experience.
On top of all of this, Jamie is a strong advocate for Autism Awareness and strives to bring awareness and understanding to the struggles and beauty of Autism. Her son James was diagnosed at age 3, and since then, she has made it a top priority to do whatever she can to help him and other children like him anyway that she can. From hosting Sensory Friendly events at Johnny D’s to creating an Autism Awareness Campaign every April, where she features a child or adult with Autism every day, that reaches thousands of people to help spread understanding of Autism and how it affects families. James has taught her to not be so quick to judge another, to look at the beauty within a person, that a little love and understanding can go a long way.