Executive Chef Peter Jackson

Locally-grown Chef Peter Jackson always knew he was a little spoiled. “My parents both cooked a lot when I was a child,” Jackson admits, “so shopping and dining in Berkeley were always important to me. I grew up around the corner from Chez Panisse, so I thought all restaurants were creative, fun places to work and that they all used local, sustainable, and organic ingredients.

At Miss Pearl’s Jam House, Jackson focuses on harmonizing his passions for regional cuisine. He describes his sensibility as a hybrid of Old World traditions and New World flair and adds, “My approach emphasizes the diversity of culinary influences we see in both the American South and in warm weather beach cultures,” said Jackson. At the same time, also present is a strong California influence from 20 years of cooking in the Bay Area. “Certain dishes, like my gumbo, I keep refining over the years.” Jackson honed his skills with Creole food with lengthy stages in New Orleans where he worked at such famed restaurants as August, with Chef John Besh.

Jackson brings a relatively new style of cuisine to Miss Pearl’s: “Gulf” cuisine is rich in cultural influences and intensely satisfying. It bears distinct accents from the North American Gulf Coast, the Caribbean islands, and the heart of Mexican cuisine. The menu spans the aquamarine waters of the Caribbean, the raucous parties and captivating streets of New Orleans and the local’s only hideaways of the Mexican coast. Jackson’s menu is both dynamic and casual, with throwbacks to the original Miss Pearl’s such as the Crispy Catfish Po’ Boy. New items include rich, complex dishes like the Jam House Seafood Jambalaya; Chicken Pontalba with housemade Tasso; and street food favorites like Pasteles, Puerto Rican style tamales.

Before taking the helm at Miss Pearl’s in May 2009, Jackson was Executive Chef at Piatti Locali in Santa Clara. Prior to that he was his own boss as chef/owner of Canvas Restaurant in Oakland where he garnered “Best of the East Bay” honors in 2003 from both the Contra Costa Times and East Bay Express for his food described as  “playful, morally righteous .... and damn fine."  Jackson solidified his reputation in the East Bay with stints at Downtown and Lalime’s in Berkeley.

Asked why he chose Oakland as his next destination, Chef Jackson cited the incredible diversity and coaching opportunities that are part of each day. “I love working with lots of different kinds of people, he said. “Oakland Restaurants generally have a very diverse staff. I see it as my daily challenge to teach my staff at least one thing and to learn at least one thing from them as well.”

Chef Joey Altman

Joey Altman, the original founding chef of Miss Pearl's in 1989, is back to consult with Executive Chef Peter Jackson, creating a menu reminiscent of the old favorites but sporting updates for the modern palate, adding to the already vibrant atmosphere of Miss Pearl's.

An accomplished San Francisco based Chef, Altman's repertoire includes Television Host, Cookbook Author, Restaurant Consultant, Food & Wine Educator, and Public Speaker. His extensive and impressive career is founded in an early background of exposure to cooking and show business. Learn More »