Zoe's – Our History

Owner and chef, Jim Sands' reputation as a chef of the finest cuisine is legendary. At just 17 he began his career under the tutelage of his Grandfather, at the Pavilion Restaurant in Phillipsburg, NJ, then know for it's fine French Cuisine.

After graduating from the acclaimed Culinary Institute of America in 1975, Jim headed to California just in time to be a part of the new "California Cuisine" renaissance, in which locally grown, naturally raised and sustainable seafoods, meats and produce were sought after and used. After four years as Chef de Cuisine aboard the RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach, Jim was fortunate to partner up with two of Southern California's most creative, up and coming restauranteurs, Sam and Jeff King. As a team, University Restaurant Group, as they were known, developed and opened five of the most popular and successful restaurants in the greater Los Angeles area, including 555 East, Ocean Avenue Seafood, Pine Avenue Fish House, I Cugini and The Water Grill.

One of the highlights of Jim's career was Julia Childs' 80th birthday party, which was celebrated in Washington, D.C. Jim prepared the Spring Lobster Taquitos and Broiled Oysters with Duck Sausage for the event.

After returning to the east coast to raise a family of six children with his wife Rita, Jim settled in the Pioneer Valley where he noticed a serious lack of good seafood restaurants, hence at the site of the former Gold Mine in Easthampton, ZOE'S FISH AND CHIP HOUSE was born in September of 1996.

Now in their new Hadley location, Jim and Rita have been joined by son Jesse, who oversees kitchen operations. The recipient of the “Best in the Valley” Seafood Restaurant award, from the Valley Advocate, for many years, ZOE'S continues to satisfy their guests with the freshest and widest variety of fish and shellfish in the Valley.