HEN+ HOC DELI & BUTCHER SHOP

PLUS: OLIBEA AFTER HOURS LAUNCHING

Chef Jeffrey DeAlejandro’s much anticipated new butcher shop and deli now has a name! Hen+Hoc Deli & Butcher will be located adjacent to the current location of his breakfast and lunch restaurant, OliBea at 123 S Central Street in Knoxville’s Old City. As with OliBea, named for his first two children Oliver and Beatrice, Hen+Hoc is named in honor of his third addition, Henry. Chef Jeffrey along with Chef Jon Newman plan to open Hen+Hoc in Fall 2019 in a section of the former location of DeAlejandro’s first restaurant, The Crown & Goose. Offerings will include fresh cuts of local and region meats, housemade sausages and charcuterie, regional products like gourmet cheese, breads, rice, flours, seasonings, and a select few artisan kitchen items. Along with freshly cut-to-order products, the chefs will offer a selection of deli lunch options such as superbly created sandwiches crafted with house-made meats like mortadella (fancy name for bologna), coppa, ground meats, hams, fish, and chicken. Soups and to-go charcuterie plates will also be available for on the go pick-up. For those planning gatherings, Hen+Hoc will offer ready to cook or grill items pre-seasoned and ready to finish at home. Custom orders will also be available to customers and businesses. One of the first is Blühen Botanicals, also in the Old City, who’s cafe is using Hen+Hoc’s meats in their dining area.

Chef DeAlejandro opened OliBea in the Old City in 2014 after having opened and co-owning the Crown and Goose. OliBea and Jeffrey quickly gained a very loyal following and equally impressive mentions in local and national press that addressed the booming Knoxville Food scene. In 2018, USA Today selected OliBea as one of the best biscuits in America. Throughout his culinary career, the chef has adhered to responsibly sourcing ingredients, mostly from local and regional farmers and giving back to the community with a variety of fundraising dinners for groups such as Beardsley Farm, Slow Food Tennessee Valley, Nourish Knoxville, the hugely popular James White’s Fort Colonial Dinner Series, The Long Table Dinner, and many more. At OliBea, Chef DeAlejandro brings in whole animals and has honed his butchery skills throughout the years including stints with professional artisan butchery programs. This love of utilizing whole animal cooking lead the chef to begin his planning for the butcher shop and that hard work and planning has lead to HenHoc Deli & Butcher. Chef DeAlejandro is a resident of the Old City along with his wife Krissy and three children.

Chef Jon Newman began working in restaurants in high school at the age of 15. After graduating Grand Rapids Culinary School, Newman moved to Charleston where he had the opportunity to work with some of the finest chefs in the Southeast. While at Cypress, Newman gained extensive butchery and charcuterie training as well as learning the ins and outs of heritage breed hogs and the dangers of factory farming. Newman then helped open Husk, known for it’s exquisite Southern cuisine with local ingredients and extensive charcuterie program. Following Husk, Chef Newman became sous chef at McCrady’s honing his craft and knowledge further.

After 8 years in Charleston, Newman and his wife Rumalda moved to Knoxville and soon met Chef DeAlejandro. The two became fast friends and talk turned to downtown Knoxville’s need for artisan butchery. Newman says, “I was lucky to find someone like Jeffrey who has the same drive and passion, someone who understands the responsibility when it comes to farming and whole animal butchery. We’re ready to take Knoxville’s butchery and deli scene to the next level.”

OLIBEA AFTER HOURS AND OLIBEA’S NEW HOME

Also of note is that OliBea is launching OliBea After Hours is coming, Chef DeAlejandro has announced OliBea “After Hours”. He is opening the doors to OliBea on Friday and Saturday evenings from 6pm-close meaning it will be the perfect location to grab a burger, sandwich, or snack on your way out of the Old City. After Hours opens July 26th at 6pm with planned closing at 2am. OliBea will also be moving just down the street to 123 Central Street in the Fall of 2019 in a new, expanded location. More information to follow about the OliBea move.
Hen•Hoc Deli & Butcher
123 S Central Street
henhocbutcher.com
instagram: @henhocbutcher
facebook: henhocbutcher
Linkedin: henhoc
emails: jeff@henhocbutcher.com jon@henhocbutcher.com
media/PR: eric@henhocbutcher.com

Disclaimer: Please note, Mr KnoxFoodie does ongoing work for Chef Jeffrey including the branding of Hen+Hoc.