“Sitting down together, I think that affects people at their core and has a huge impact on their mental well-being,” says Jessica. “I think there is no better way to be close, to let loose and enjoy yourself. To be stimulated, but relaxed at the same time.”

She also believes in providing customized service and ensuring her clients are happy, oftentimes providing additional services for free, like decor, serveware, rental and staffing coordination. “People hire you because they know what you do is difficult and they don’t want to do it themselves,” shares Jessica. “ However, if the service isn’t good, and you don’t have all the things you need for their event, then it doesn’t really matter how good your food is, especially if you don’t have plates to serve it on or servers to help pass it out.”

Most of the menu items Jessica creates incorporates a blend of her culinary experience with a focus on Asian and Middle Eastern foods, paired with California culture. “Being in California, having it be a melting pot, does allow me to kind of make a menu that doesn’t seem classically Italian or Middle Eastern,” says Jessica.

However, Jessica is also open to a challenge, and if a client wants a specific menu item that she does not have a taste preference for, she takes the time to understand the meaning and the feeling behind the recipe request. She also admits this is a great learning experience for her, noting that she appreciates when clients share their cultural and culinary knowledge with her, “it’s a great way for me to get education without having to work in that type of [restaurant] kitchen.”

One client, in particular, is currently teaching Jessica some of her personal Indian recipes – a cuisine that intrigues Jessica.

“There are some ingredients that I just don’t know what they are and [my client] is teaching me, showing me where to get it, the best stores to go to and how much to buy,” shares Jessica. “Sometimes, it’s also how you read the recipe, like when it says ‘hot’ – For me, I think spicy, but she taught me it can actually mean the quantity – meaning [the recipe] calls for a lot of different spices.”

When Jessica thinks back on where and how she really learned to cook, she credits three primary individuals – her grandmother, her father and a mentor chef named Jason. The passion and love for cooking comes from her family, something that was ingrained in her at a young age. The discipline and creativity she learned from Chef Jason, who she says held her accountable to proper labeling and cleaning, but also who encouraged her to step outside of her comfort zone and make new menu items such as pig ears, cured bacon and homemade kimchi.

“These are items that you are not going to necessarily learn at home,” says Jessica. “There are some things that you just have to do live. Working in [Chef Jason’s] kitchen really allowed me to [make] a whole bunch of new stuff, which was cool.”

The fast-paced, meticulous detail involved in catering individual meals or an event for 100 attendees actually soothes Jessica – it takes her anxiety away. Focusing on the steps required to make a recipe, even if it takes hours or multiple days, helps her concentrate and push any fear aside. She also credits her clients for trusting her and giving her the creative freedom to run with ideas, noting their feedback is always helpful, “they do it in a way that makes me feel like we are working together and it makes it really fun and easy to give my best performance.”

Looking forward, Jessica is optimistic, invigorated and flexible. She is happy that she landed on a career, one in food service, that can accommodate her goals and passions, and one that she can do from anywhere.

“I feel like food is survival to me,” says Jessica. “It gives me a lot of freedom… and is an awesome excuse to travel. It’s also an amazing form of community and a great way to get to know someone, or their family, or their culture.”

Ready to make your own cookbook online? Shop now

Have more questions? Visit our FAQ section here. Alternatively, you can email us at hello@heirloomproject.co

To get regular updates, follow us on Instagram here