Chef Jessica: cooking up a pot of nutrition

Many have heard Chef Jessica's cheery voice on FM 88.1 The Promise's Tuesday morning show as she gives us tidbits and large morsels of information on cooking and nutrition. But who really is this renowned individual whose soft-spoken voice could calm the most harried mother and housewife trying to cope with the many demands placed upon them?

I spoke with Chef Jessica in my quest to discover the woman behind the apron. Her interesting and impressive past definitely qualifies her to be the one to impart words of wisdom from the kitchen.

Jessica's life has always revolved around food in some way. She has been a farm girl, fish cleaner in a seafood market, assistant in the food preparation for large parties at church and for her large family, fast food cook, caterer, restaurant manager, fine restaurant chef, personal chef, cooking school founder and instructor, monthly host on Channel 4's cooking segment, founder of the online cooking magazine Cooking Bright, recipe contributor for the book Fat Chance written by reality television show The Biggest Loser's former contestant Julie Hadden, and almost everything in between. With all of this on her resume, Jessica's primary focus remains steady: encouraging families to cook nutritious meals together.

She's now taking her advice to the streets, giving nutritional guidance to Feeding America (formerly called Second Harvest), an organization that addresses hunger in America. Jessica said, 'Food banks are trying a different approach by moving toward more fresh produce and ingredients. Also, providing community education programs can also help decrease the infant mortality rate by getting young mothers the nutritious food they need for their unborn and newborn babies.'

Which leads to Jessica's foremost passion: children and adoption. She's involved in planning events for the foster care community. Using her celebrity status, she raises awareness for the foster care system so that more people will become involved in it. She has practiced what she preaches. With one biological son, she and her husband adopted their daughter through the foster care system.

Jessica said, 'I love that cooking offers creativity and brings people enjoyment while adding to their overall well-being and nutrition. On more than one occasion, I did try to get out of the kitchen but found that I couldn't. I enjoy it too much. It's my home.'

Jessica's favorite Bible verse? Well, Psalm 34:8, of course. 'Taste and see that the Lord is good.' These are words that Jessica has obviously put into practice her whole life!