Jay and Nicole

About Angel Oak Restaurant - Johns Island South Carolina

Angel Oak Restaurant is an American style full service restaurant that utilizes local ingredients to highlight the cuisine of the community. It is located just minutes from downtown Charleston on the Savannah highway in John’s Island.

The approach at Angel Oak Restaurant is simple, to obtain the freshest ingredients that the seasons allow, and present them in a way that would best represent the area. The menu changes often to include what is in season. Our lunch menu provides people with fresh, quick, made from scratch food that is rustic and delicious. Dinner takes a more innovative approach to southern American cuisine. Whether you are looking to share a few appetizers over a bottle of wine, a country fried steak with a local beer, or want to explore one of our alluring culinary entrees, the menu at Angle Oak can meet all of your wishes. We encourage you to relax during dinner and try our daily wine flights or order a great wine by the glass or bottle. Angel Oak also offers a small select bottled beer list that will please any beer enthusiast. Make sure to save room for dessert, where the chef reflects on traditional southern style sweets that would cure any sweet tooth.

Jay and Nicole Kees moved from New York to open Angel Oak Restaurant in the summer of 2012. Nicole was born and raised in the Hudson Valley region about an hour north of New York City. Her career with hospitality began at a young age. She has worked at many local notable restaurants while obtaining her Masters degree in Art Education. She has spent the last seven years leading up to the opening of Angel Oak teaching art at an inner-city school. Jay was born and raised in southern Mississippi and started working in local restaurants at a young age. After his career in Mississippi he worked in New Orleans at one of the best local restaurants. He decided to further his career in the food industry which guided him to New York. Jay obtained his Bachelors Degree at the Culinary Institute of America. During his professional expedition he trained under a master chef at Ritz Carlton, Naples, FL and at David Burk’s Townhouse, NYC. Jay was a personal chef for many affluent residents of the Hudson Valley area. He has been an Executive Pastry Chef for four sister restaurants in the Hudson Valley.

While in New York, Jay and Nicole met working together at a banquet facility. Immediately they knew that this was the start of something amazing for their futures. While exploring the east coast for a happy balance of North and South, for a career and lifestyle change, they fell in love with the Charleston area. Like Jay and Nicole’s journey together, Angel Oak Restaurant exemplifies the modern approach to cuisine found in the top restaurants in New York City, without loosing the honest rusticity of southern fare.

Jay and Nicole Kees