FEATURED STORY FROM THE Best of BG – 2016 ISSUE
Two Foxes:
A Love of Food, and for Each Other, Brought the Jaworskis to Open Two Foxes Gastro Pub
Joshua and Erin Jaworski aren’t chiefs. In fact neither of them have any formal culinary training at all. But that didn’t stop them from opening Two Foxes, a unique, two-story gastropub in downtown Bowling Green that’s creating a lot of buzz for its warm atmosphere, vast drink selection and great, original food. It’s probably the only place in town where diners can find a burger with bacon, peanut- butter sauce and caramelized onions or French fries made out of eggplant.
“A lot of places can make burgers and fries but we try to be more creative,” said Erin. The restaurant’s menu is versatile, even a tad intricate compared to other restaurants in downtown Bowling Green, offering dishes for carnivores, vegetarians and pescatarians alike. It’s impressive considering that their kitchen is a “one man operation” unless they get really busy, according to Erin.
In a past life Joshua graduated from Ohio University with a degree in business and went on to manage a golf course with some of his friends after college. He later got into coaching golf professionally. Erin on the other hand graduated with a degree in English. She dabbled in journalism and the nonprofit sector before entering the restaurant business as a server in her mid-twenties.
The two met and bonded over their love of food, drink and hospitality. They got married and went into the restaurant business together. Their first venture was a bar called “The Barnacle.” And at that time, Joshua’s career interests were a bit different than they are now.
“I had no desire to cook, I bartended, I handled all of the financials and paperwork for our first business. I hated the kitchen; I wouldn’t go in unless I absolutely had to,” said Joshua. But things have changed since then; Joshua found a love for cooking. Which is great considering that Erin did most ofthe cooking but has had to take a step back to care for their infant baby daughter.
Joshua says the best part about opening his own restaurant is the control. Yes, he put in 100 hour weeks but he cooks the things he and Erin want to see. And he has the ability to change the menu up daily if he feels like it instead of cooking the same items every day.
He and Erin choose their own ingredients and the vendors that provide them. For Josh and Erin it’s all about variety and freshness. “I don’t want to prep something on Monday and serve it on Friday. I want to come in, prep it that day, and cook it that day so it’s fresh,” said Josh. Josh and Erin mentioned another
plus about going into business for themselves. “We bring our daughter to work with us every day. Where else can we do that?”
Two Foxes is establishing itself as one of the best new restaurants in BG and business is growing steadily. Joshua and Erin are planning to add more items to the menu soon. The establishment also features a wide assortment of bourbons also boasts a number of craft wines and beers. Whether diners choose to eat on the first or second floor, it’s definitely worth a try.