Chef Jim Oppat
Joe Muer Seafood
Chef Oppat joined the Joe Vicari Restaurant Group in January 2007 at the Andiamo location in Dearborn. After eighteen months as the Executive Chef, Andiamo Dearborn quickly became a role model restaurant setting financial and operational standards. Attributing his successes to surrounding himself with the best, including his mentor of over five years, the late Master Chef Aldo, who’s authentic Italian cuisine and preparation helped influence and create a diverse, powerful, and motivational team. Through his work, Chef Oppat has brought standardization not only to all seven Andiamo locations, but to each of the Joe Vicari Restaurant Group’s nine brands and has stayed true to the “From Scratch” background that built the Joe Vicari Restaurant Group.
Chef Oppat demonstrated the drive, passion, knowledge and skills to be promoted to the position of Corporate Chef and perform such duties. Since moving to the corporate offices in 2009, Chef Oppat has standardized all of the recipes, menu items, costs, purchasing, vendors and the much-needed business templates for daily activities for each of the Joe Vicari Restaurant brands.
In addition to the daily operations, Chef Oppat has developed and executed menus for numerous promotions and events in support of both the corporate marketing vision and major offsite catering events such as the Detroit Grand Prix.
Chef Oppat has been instrumental in the opening of multiple Joe Vicari Restaurant Group establishments including additional Andiamo locations, Joe Muer Seafood, and a variety of other Michigan restaurants which occurred amid a global pandemic. He continues to show that no matter what the task is at hand, he will rise to the occasion and give his all.
In 2011, Joe Muer Seafood opened its first restaurant inside the Renaissance Center and was eagerly awarded Restaurant of the Year in 2012 by Hour Detroit and continued to win Best Seafood Restaurant for eleven consecutive years. In 2017, with the success of the Detroit location, a second location was opened in Bloomfield Hills, MI and in August of 2023, an expansion outside of Michigan lead to the opening of a third location in Nashville, TN, all of which Chef Oppat played a fundamental role with operational duties.
In 2013 Chef Oppat helped open the Andiamo Italian Steakhouse at The D Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas providing Andiamo patrons with a fresh new concept. In 2022, he helped open Andiamo Presto, a fast-casual authentic Italian dining experience geared towards families. In the winter of 2024, he will be utilizing some of the same unique positionings of the Las Vegas Steakhouse concept and implementing them at the new Andiamo Pasta and Chops restaurant.
Amid the global pandemic, Chef Oppat helped facilitate the opening and operational duties of the Birmingham Pub (April 2021), The Bronze Door (August 2021), and The Statler (December 2021), each bringing in a new concept and freshness to The Joe Vicari Restaurant Group.
Working individually with each of the Joe Vicari Restaurant Group locations, Chef Oppat has taken the time to lay the groundwork for each restaurant, monitoring the performance of each chef and their teams, and ensuring the Joe Vicari Restaurant Group standards are met guaranteeing their restaurants run efficiently and effectively.
Having been trained and mentored by some of the nation’s top chefs, Chef Oppat has enjoyed much travel throughout the United States and parts of Asia. A graduate of Schoolcraft College in Livonia himself, he has many ties to the Master Chef instructors at the college in addition to having the pleasure of working closely with the late Master Chef Aldo who opened the first Andiamo location. Chef Oppat continues to embrace the 17 years he has spent with the Joe Vicari Restaurant Group, and looks forward to the continued growth and success of the brands that have impacted his career.
