ABOUT
Jack's Kitchen--Washington DC's Personal and Private Chef Services, Cooking Classes, Dinner Parties and a la carte items on demand.
Jack's Kitchen is an affordable, family friendly personal and private chef serving the Washington D.C. Metro area, including Maryland and Northern Virginia.
Jack's Kitchen:
A Love Story
A Brief History:
Growing up, my playgrounds were kitchens. My grandparents owned a popular Italian restaurant outside of Pittsburgh, PA, and food was everywhere. Everyone was a cook. By the age of 8, I was making omelettes, tomato sauce, and homemade gnocchi.
I went to Boston College for my undergraduate degrees (English and Philosophy) and immediately attended New York University's graduate writing program where I received my M.A. in English Literature, with a concentration in Poetry, because I go where the money is. Throughout college and graduate school, I cooked constantly for friends and roommates, and then began baking pies. I hosted study groups, the attendance of these groups skyrocketing the more my peers ate what I cooked.
As I got older, I decided not to attend culinary school, nor to work in a restaurant, knowing that the competitive nature, high pressure, and relentless schedule might cause me to lose my love for cooking altogether. I've always wanted to cook for a living, but was unsure how--until, after cooking for a friend's house concert in the DC area, I realized I wanted to cook for people in their homes as a personal chef.
My cooking isn't too fancy; I make food for families. "Fancy comfort food," I've called it. It's like Grandma's cooking with a bistro twist. I make Mediterranean cuisine (Italian and Greek), Italian-American, Cajun, Indian, Southern American, French, and also compose my own recipes. As a baker, I specialize in homemade cookies, quick breads, and pies.
Though I'm also known in the area as a jazz vocalist and singer-songwriter, it's food I'm most known for; it's where my heart is.
How Jack's Kitchen Works:
Your own personal chef
My first priority is making my clients happy. Everyone has their own preferences and dietary needs. Every week, I design menus exclusively for each client. This can be one full meal, or several heatable/freezable meals at once.
You can hire me for weekly regular meals, or for special occasions.
On demand
Those in the DC Metro area can request specific dishes or treats, as long as I'm given at least 24 hours notice. You can order lasagna, baked ziti, casseroles, cookies, quick breads, pies, cakes, and I will deliver them to you.
Teaching chef
I give personal lessons in my client's homes. These often are held as parties, sort of a dinner party/teaching party, and they are a lot of fun. I like to make sure my clients have fun while they learn; I also provide print-outs of my recipes.
You can hire me for a specific series (tailored to your preferences), or for a special occasion.
