After a career in kitchens, Chef Joseph Rodger creates his own foodie sandwich shop.
His mom named him Joseph Robert Rodger, a child with three first names.
Now, sometimes known as JoeJoeBob, he tacked that nickname onto his Flagstaff sandwich shop. JoeJoeBob’s opened in May 2024 in the Fort Valley Shopping Center on North Humphreys Street.
“People called me JoeJoe or JoeBob,” Rodger said. “Phyllis [Hogan] of Winter Sun started calling me JoeJoeBob. So, I figured for the [restaurant] concept it’s just kind of fun and playful.”
But don’t conclude that Rodger is unserious about cooking and his foodie sandwich shop. He’s worked at some of Flagstaff’s acclaimed restaurants, including Tinderbox and Cuvee 928 Wine Bar and Cafe, and Shift with his former partner Dara Wong.
JoeJoeBob’s carefully curated menu includes a house salad, small plates of pasta, a daily soup and a handful of sandwiches. The shop, with plentiful parking, relies on locally and domestically sourced ingredients.
Rodger’s partner, Madi Hallaran, makes all the cookies and sandwich bread. Sandwich choices include:
- Beef Cheek Reuben with corned beef, sauerkraut, kimchi, Swiss and spicy sauce on a rye roll.
- Tuna Melt with tuna salad, Calabrian chiles and provolone on a hoagie.
- Veggie with sweet potato falafel, goat cheese feta, pickled onion, kale and tahini vinaigrette on a hoagie.
“With having a reputation [in Flagstaff], people kind of know what I do for food. I do a different play on things,” he said. “If you’re coming in here thinking you’re just going to get a sandwich shop like a Subway, you basically can get that anywhere.”
Walk into JoeJoeBob’s and you’ll know you’re not in a chain sandwich shop even though it previously was a Subway. A “Point Break” movie poster and Green Day poster are on the wall behind the counter. A chalkboard lists daily menu specials and tables are adorned with cookbooks that were donated by one of Rodger’s elderly customers. A colorful neon sign spells out JoeJoeBob’s in script type.
Over three decades, Rodger has a long resume as a chef. He’s gotten his knives out at kitchens in Flagstaff, Phoenix, Kansas City and Boulder, Colorado. He also had short internships at Michelin Star restaurants in Napa, California, and the Basque region of Spain.
Growing up in Sedona, he went to work at age 12, fibbing that he was 13 so he could work legally at Desert Flour Bakery.
“In summer, it came down to I could either go to camp or get a job,” Rodger said. “My brother was always working in the front of the house and I was always geared toward working in the kitchens. But I never really took it seriously.”
At Northern Arizona University, he planned to study parks and recreation while working at Beaver Street Brewery, but ultimately his love for cooking won out.
“I continued to work in kitchens, bounced around a bit and lived in Northern California,” Rodger said. “I could just always cook to make money that way to pay my bills.”
When he came back to Flagstaff he went to work at Cuvee for Scott Heinonen, who became a mentor. Rodger said he was in his early 20s, maybe 22, when he started to take cooking seriously. It was on the job training.
“I considered myself pretty grateful to get paid to learn.”
JoeJoeBob’s is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
“Sundays we try not to set foot in here,” Rodger said. “I’m still working about 70 hours a week, but it doesn’t feel like work when you own your own place.”
“I love cooking. I’m grateful for what I do every day. I’ll keep doing it as long as I can. I’ll be a happy camper.”
Daily Rituals
“I get up usually around 3 or 4 a.m. Get a cup of coffee, do a quick workout and then come in [to JoeJoeBob’s] to start prepping between 5 and 6 a.m.”
Advice for Hospitality Students
“I would say embrace failure. That’s your best teacher. It’s not a bad thing.”
Favorite Comfort Food
“Fresh pasta or pizza. I’ll eat both at the same time. I’m not ashamed to say it.”
In my Free Time
“I go outside, ride bikes, spend time with Madi [Hallaran] and our two cats.”
Who I Would Like to Dine With
“Gene Kelly.” In high school in Sedona, Rodger was involved in theater and was offered a scholarship to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles but turned it down. FBN
By Peter Corbett, FBN
Photos by Peter Corbett: JoeJoeBob’s owner, Chef Joseph Rodger, puts his own twist on sandwiches – adding kimchi to a Reuben and Calabrian chiles to a tuna melt.