Jeff and Genie McNally recently opened Bea’s Fine Foods + All Day Café and Jefe’s Fish Wagon in St. Augustine.
Tell us about Jefe’s Fish Wagon. What inspired you to start your business?
We opened our first restaurant, The Floridian, 15 years ago, and like a lot of entrepreneurs, we have always had different ideas and concepts pop into our heads. There was never really the right time and place for some of them, but as we moved into the transition period between The Floridian’s move from downtown to its new home towards the beach (which is still under construction), it seemed like the perfect time to try some of those concepts out.
What can you tell us about the menu?
Jefe’s menu is inspired by the simplicity of fresh seafood that you find at the backroad fish camps and seafood shacks of the Florida Keys and Carolina low country, then shaken up a bit with flavors and ingredients from some of our favorite tropical destinations-Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Polynesia and beyond.
What do you like best about what you do?
Our motto throughout most of our endeavors has always been “Food is important,” so being able to embody that philosophy as much as possible, supporting all the people and producers without whom our jobs would not be possible, is inspiring and enriching. We are liaisons, conduits, connecting food to people.
What is a typical day like for you?
Speaking from the FOH managerial/maintenance/head janitor/senior busser perspective, my day tends to be a roll of the dice. I guess it could be a good thing to say there are no “typical” days, which keeps it interesting to say the least. As chef/kitchen manager/accountant (etc.), Genie’s day has a little bit more consistency to it: organize inventory/walk-in, prep list, prep most days, office/accounting on the others, orders – with a million other little and big things that pop up here and there and demand attention: scheduling, HR, PR and the list goes on.
Tell us about your background, especially as it applies to your career.
Genie and I both have bachelor’s degrees in what we may call the “liberal arts” (English/communication/media for her, philosophy/political science/anthropology for me). We found our ways to restaurants as teenagers (15 years old), looking for extra cash and a relatively liberal scheduling policy, and lo and behold it stuck.
Both of us have been in various kitchens and dining rooms from Fernandina to Gainesville to St. Augustine, from fine dining to vegan cafes to farmer’s market stands, with each of us sitting at about 25-plus years of experience in the industry.
Are you from St. Augustine originally, or did you settle here from somewhere else? If the latter, what brought you here?
I (Jeff) have lived in St. Augustine since I was 8 years old, while Genie grew up in Fernandina/Yulee (her family on her mother’s side having been in the region for eight generations). We met via mutual friends in Gainesville about 18 years ago, and Genie made the move here shortly after.
What do you like best about living in St. Augustine?
Even though things have changed since I was growing up here, it still has a small-town feel, is eclectic, quirky, beautiful, not to mention surrounded by incredible beaches and waterways. We have traveled to many different cities, states, and countries, but it’s where we keep coming back!
How do you like to spend your free time?
We love to hang with our 11-year-old son Graham (when he’ll let us). Beach-ing, surfing, Paddleboarding, springs trip-ing, and traveling are also high on the list.
What’s next for you and your business?
Construction of the new location of our flagship restaurant, The Floridian, is currently underway, and should be open by summer/fall 2026. In the meantime, Bea’s Fine Foods and Jefe’s are keeping us busy, and that’s just the way we like it.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Just a big thanks! Thank you to those taking the time to have interest in and help us tell our story, and thanks to all the folks who have supported our endeavors!
