Destination Dogs was founded and is owned by two partners: Jimmy Cronk, and Sean Hosty who met while working at Clydz restaurant in New Brunswick, NJ. It was there that we formed our friendship, honed our skills, and eventually decided to focus on opening an establishment of our very own. We each bring to the table our own talents, and an undeniable drive to be the very best in the business we love so much. We are all lovers of food. We are all lovers of travel. We all want to share this with every customer that walks in our door. We are all passionate about the product we make, about the town it’s in, and about the experiences our customers have while dining in our establishment. Most importantly, we understand that without our customers Destination Dogs would never exist, and our customers should know that we are forever thankful for the opportunity to share with you our passion for the product we love so much!
The Story Behind the Dogs
Co-Owner
JIMMY CRONK
Jimmy Cronk is the creator of the Destination Dogs concept and brand, as well as Co-Owner. He serves as the company’s Culinary & Creative Director, as well as Executive Chef.
His love of hot dogs, worldly cuisine, and his wife Diana’s passion for travel were the inspiration for the concept and menu which he and Diana developed the in years prior to opening. He is a life-long hospitality professional working in numerous restaurants throughout his career, while holding a variety of positions, as well as conceptualizing and consulting for multiple award winning restaurants and bars. He and Co-Founder Sean Hosty met while working as mixologist at a Clydz, local New Brunswick cocktail bar, and it was there over the course of years they developed a long lasting bond that would eventually lead to them opening a place of their own. It is also where he met his future business partners, Mike Parker and Frank Karthausuer.
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Later they would jointly open their Neo-Neapolitan pizza and cocktail concept, Fatto Americano with Jackie Mazza, who developed Destination Dogs original bread recipe, and her famous pretzel, which is a crowd favorite!
Jimmy’s passion for food and travel has allowed him to appreciate the great cultures and cuisines that still inspire him. He is proud to call New Jersey his home, and is appreciative of its culinary and cultural diversity, even though he constantly bashes winters and taxes in the state! As company spokesperson he, and Destination Dogs have been featured on numerous TV shows and publications, from cooking live on Good Day NY, and Philadelphia, to Food Paradise on the Travel Channel, which was one of his dreams! He is always humbled by the success of the brand, and is always thankful of the hard work and dedication of our staff, and business partners. Without them, none of it would be possible! His goal is to make Destination Dogs a household name, and to conceptualize and open more great hospitality concepts!
At his core he believes you should never stop exploring and learning, and to always take pride in your work! He believes food should be fun, food and drinks should be shared, and most importantly should make you smile. He hopes to share this with each guest that walks through the door, and he hopes to pass these values and beliefs on to the loves of his life, his two daughters Phoebe and Cecilia, which are the two greatest creations he and his wife will ever make! Diana, I love you, and I am forever thankful!
Co-Owner
SEAN HOSTY
Sean Hosty is the Managing Partner, and the business end of the business at Destination Dogs. His hospitality expertise was honed while working for the Levy Restaurant group in Chicago, which is also where his love affair with the hot dog began!
It is his personal mission to make Destination Dogs a household brand. He feels that each customer that dines at Destination Dogs should be treated like family, and that they shouldn’t have to spend five star prices to receive a five star dining experience. He also believes that each Friday should be a celebration of the duck, his favorite fowl. Which is how we came up with “Duck Fat Fry-Days”. Sean is also a traveler. He and his wife Keri have made it their mission to see the world, and have traveled to such places as Greece, Ireland, and most of Europe in search of a perfect meal. Sean believes that food and travel are tied for the third great loves of his life, behind his wife, and his daughter Dylan.
Managing Partner
MICHAEL PARKER
Michael Parker is a managing partner, and the swag end of the business at Destination Dogs. He is a bar man through and through honing his skills as a tenured bartender at Clydz in New Brunswick. It is his goal to bring approachable high-end craft cocktails to people who have little experience or knowledge with craft spirits. Parker’s love doesn’t end with spirits, he is also an avid traveler and musician who has played music all over the United States as well as South America, France, Switzerland, Italy, Holland, and Belgium. (Yes he is famous in Europe) Parker is on a never ending quest to find the perfect meal which he is in constant search of, frequently circumnavigating the world with his travel buddy and long time travel companion Rocky, his monster Bull Mastiff American Bulldog.
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It is his goal to bring approachable high-end craft cocktails to people who have little experience or knowledge with craft spirits. Parker’s love doesn’t end with spirits, he is also an avid traveler and musician who has played music all over the United States as well as South America, France, Switzerland, Italy, Holland, and Belgium. (Yes he is famous in Europe) Parker is on a never ending quest to find the perfect meal which he is in constant search of, frequently circumnavigating the world with his travel buddy and long time travel companion Rocky, his monster Bull Mastiff American Bulldog.
Managing Partner
FRANK
Bio Coming Soon