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How did you begin your career as a personal chef?
I was working as an editor and had been feeling for a while that I wanted to make the switch to cooking. My whole family works in restaurants, so I grew up around them, and as I got older and was doing more cooking for pleasure I decided I wanted to do it professionally. In 2018, I heard through a friend of a friend that their boss was looking for someone to do weekly meal prep, and from there I got connected with more clients via word of mouth and Instagram. I still do meal deliveries and private dinners on occasion, but I'm really focused on doing more food writing, recipe testing and development, etc. and it's feeling really good and more up my alley.
What's your favorite part about the New York creative community?
I think the creative community here is so, so special. I feel constantly inspired by everything people are doing, from friends to friends of friends to other people I follow. Very few of my friends do the same thing, which I find very refreshing and inspiring to be around. I love being able to collaborate with other chefs, designers, photographers, etc. and I think that living here has provided me with many opportunities I wouldn't have otherwise had and has introduced me to incredibly talented and kind people. I've lived here since I was 18 and I feel like I'm still constantly hearing about/meeting inspiring people doing cool things. It all feels so expansive and I feel very lucky to be a small part of it.
What's inspiring you right now?
My biggest source of inspiration right now comes from going to the farmers market. I go on Wednesdays and Sundays and am always amazed by all the beautiful produce and how kind, talented, and knowledgeable the farmers are. Any time I'm in a creative rut with cooking, it immediately snaps me out of it. I feel inspired by my favorite restaurants (Long Island Bar, Cervo's, Ugly Baby, F&F, and so many more), and how their food and hospitality makes me feel good when I'm feeling down. I'm always inspired by my friends working in different industries and how exciting it is to see their work evolve.
Follow along:
@janecooksforyou on Instagram