Learn About Us
What We Do
We hope you’ll join us in our kitchen for a fun and delicious event. We offer cooking classes, private parties, team building opportunities, and summer camps. We can teach your guests in our comfortable demonstration kitchen or can come to you, to teach in your corporate or club setting.
Our Class Schedule
We offer public cooking classes most Tuesday nights; from April until October. November through March, our schedule is heavily booked with private catering as Jessica fulfills her seasonal role as a personal chef.
During the summer we host our very popular cooking camps for kids. For over 20 years Jessica has shared her enthusiasm for food with young chefs each summer. We announce our camp schedule in the spring.
We are also available on a limited basis for private parties and events throughout the year. Please email us if you have a specific request or are interested in booking a private cooking class.
About Chef Jessica
Chef Jessica is a Food Enthusiast and Kitchen Enabler with a passion for encouraging home cooks to explore new flavors. She is a mom, trained chef, educator, radio and television personality, and a published author. She conducts cooking classes and has contributed to several cookbooks.
Originally from a small farm in southeastern North Carolina, Jessica learned early on to appreciate the land and what it could grow. When her family’s business grew to include a fish market, she learned a great deal about seafood and how to prepare it by working there.
The book Fat Chance by Julie Hadden, a Season 4 finalist on NBC’s The Biggest Loser, includes recipes that Jessica created as healthy alternatives to Hadden’s favorite foods. Jessica also co-wrote The Shannon Miller Healthy and Balanced Pregnancy Cookbook with Olympic gymnast Shannon Miller.
Additionally, Jessica acted as a consultant for other books including a best selling cookbook.
Jessica served for four years as a certified Master Food and Nutrition Educator for the University of Florida and the Duval County Extension Service. She has worked as a personal chef, as an executive chef for a luxury kitchen and appliance company, as a product spokesperson for General Electric appliances and other national brands, as a caterer, and an event planner. She has worked for such prominent companies as Walt Disney World, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (at the Williamsburg Inn), Marriott, Hyatt Regency, and Darden Restaurants.
Since 2005 Jessica has provided unique recipes, created cooking classes and demonstrations for clientele, and appeared in morning show cooking segments. Jessica has also been a featured celebrity chef and presenter at the Southern Women’s show. Her recipes have been featured in Coastal Angler Magazine.
In 2010 Jessica was chosen by Unilever as a spokesperson in their national campaign to promote their Breyers Sundae Showcase contest.
Jessica and her cooking segments have been featured in various media outlets including:
WCTV, WTXL, WMBB, WAWS, WTEV, WJXT, WJXX, WTLV, WCRJ, WBOB, The Tallahassee Democrat, Tallahassee Magazine, Old City Life Magazine, Ouest-France, Tallahassee Woman Magazine, The Panama City News Herald, The Bay Bullet, The Florida Times-Union, Jacksonville Magazine, Guideposts.org, Coastal Angler Magazine, HealthSource Magazine, The Mandarin Sun, and others.
In 2014 Jessica opened KitchenAble Cooking School in Tallahassee, FL. Here she shares her love of food with others.
When not cooking, Jessica is involved in the community and has worked closely with non-profit organizations including Family Support Services of North Florida and Second Harvest. In November 2009, the Governor of Florida presented the “Point of Light” Award for her efforts to promote Adoption awareness. In 2009 President Obama awarded her the Presidential “Call to Service.” Hands-on Jacksonville recognized her in April 2010 for her community involvement, She also helped Family Support Services of North Florida launch their SPLASH program for foster teens. This program was presented a Children’s Week Community Innovation Award in 2012 in Tallahassee.
At Walt Disney World, Jessica earned a “Ducktorate” degree for her participation in the College and International Program with Disney University. She also worked in Guest Relations and with Disney Special Activities. Jessica is a natural educator with an appealing presence that shines through on stage, on air, and in person. She is as comfortable teaching adults as she is teaching children of all ages. She enthusiastically teaches food-related activities for many groups in the community.
Though Jessica is involved in many varied activities, her top priority is her family. Her husband Chris is extraordinary at grilling and they have two children.
In 2017 Chris and Jessica purchased a historic home and have since opened their Briarcliffe Cottage as a tiny bed and breakfast. Find information on available lodging here.
Jessica believes that there is no better dining establishment than your very own kitchen table. She opened KitchenAble in 2014 to share her passion for food in a way that will encourage you enjoy your own kitchen table and help you create a comfortable and delicious environment for your family and friends.