Preview
Creation Date
Spring 2025
Description
Digital photograph of Joe Flax playing billiards in Lower Wismer dining hall at Ursinus College. A printed version of this photograph was temporarily installed on the interior lobby of the Wismer building on campus as part of the Spring 2025 COSA celebration.
Panel Text
Chef Joe Flax is a man who cherishes connection, whether he’s in the kitchen, with his kids, or interacting with the student populace at large. He exudes a friendly, approachable energy, which was evident as he thoughtfully answered my questions during our initial interview in March. As the executive chef from Parkhurst in Upper Wismer, Chef Joe gets to reap the benefits of direct interaction with students: “I enjoy these settings much more than a restaurant setting. ‘Cause in the restaurant, you're always in the back. You never get to interact with people as much as I get to interact with students in different groups. And that is always one of the best parts of my day.”
Growing up in Philadelphia, most of the jobs he took during high school and college were related to clothing - until he got a summer job at Whole Foods. Sucked into the atmosphere of the cooking environment, and surrounded by chefs who he considered “the coolest people I've ever met,” Chef Joe realized where he truly wanted to be in life. He turned down his scholarship for biochemical engineering and dove headfirst into the cooking field. Joining Parkhurst got him to leave his hometown; he spent six years working at the Maryland Institute College of Art, where he met our school’s current senior general manager of dining, Rachel Milburn.
When I asked Chef Joe about his ideal weekend, that truly drove him to think. His activities, he said, would be different for each day. On the first day, he would visit his children. And on the second… he would play billiards. Unbeknownst to most of the student body, pool is his “biggest hobby,” and he travels the country competing in tournaments. He even mentioned having won a few state championships, indicating that he’s skilled on top of drawing enjoyment from the activity. Chef Joe’s clear enthusiasm for playing billiards informed my decision to shoot at the billiards table in Lower Wismer. I watched his focused expression and his deliberate aiming as he primed his personal cue stick for each shot. His occasional utterances only made his passion for the game even clearer to me, and just seeing him play was enjoyable itself. Not only did Chef Joe get a chance to practice for an upcoming competition, but he was able to broadcast a key insight that he brings to his work in the dining hall: “We don't want to just be the dining provider. We want to be a part of campus life.”
While he’s mentioned being a passionate Marvel fan, it’s clear that Chef Joe deserves to spend time among the ranks of the superheroes he sees in those films. His kindness is easily seen by all, making it easier to talk to him about food suggestions or dining grievances. He works to ensure students feel safe and enjoy their meals on-campus, often “open to anything” so long as it gets people engaged. His joy for the profession shines through in every action he takes cooking for Parkhurst, making him a truly super chef… and a fantastic individual beneath it all.
Rights
Copyright of the underlying work is held by the artist. The digital image presented here is for educational purposes only and is not for commercial use.
Keywords
student art, 2025, documentary photography, Ursinus College, staff, portrait, photograph
