Chef Jay Trubee

smseafoodFeatured Chefs

Chef Jay Trubee opened restaurants in Boston, New York and Nantucket before he and his wife, June, opened Jillian’s in Palm Desert 22 years ago.   Jay’s Culinary Institute of America training and travels in Europe and the United States have inspired his love of the art of cooking. Not only does he prepare superb cuisine, he is responsible for the restaurant’s extensive wine list and he ensures that all pastas, breads, and desserts are made fresh in-house daily.  The Trubee’s desire to continually strive for perfection distinguishes Jillian’s.

A long time Santa Monica Seafood customer, Jay’s favorite seafood items include Maine Lobster, Nantucket Scallops, Lake Superior Whitefish and Scottish Salmon (because his wife is from Scotland).  “I love anything Santa Monica sells; it’s always the freshest and the best quality.”  His advice for at home cooks “(if you purchased from Santa Monica Seafood) rest assured it’s the freshest product out there. Do it justice and don’t overcook it, keep it simple.”

Some of Chef Jay’s fondest memories are of clamming in Nantucket, “ (we would) go out chest deep at low tide with rakes, one guy would be the catcher with an inner tube floating a wire basket, he wore a catcher’s mitt to catch the big quahogs that we would throw to him from a distance. We’d go home, steam them and make chowder that afternoon.”

When you are in the desert, be sure to make a reservation to dine at Jillian’s, Jay Trubee’s imaginative eclectic cuisine paired with June’s Scottish charm make Jillian’s a most unique experience.”

Jillian’s
74-155 El Paseo
Palm Desert, CA 92260
760-776-8242
www.jilliansfinedining.com