Meet Jessica & Debbie
Jessica and Debbie met at Natural Gourmet Institute in NYC and quickly discovered they were two peas in a pod. They found themselves voraciously talking food escapades before, during and after class with an unusual degree of excitement. They soon discovered a mutual love of travel, food, culture and passion for making people happy. After working in the restaurant world, they decided to collaborate individual talents to offer a unique and memorable food experience.
Jessica P. Cooper
Jessica grew up in Long Island, New York and ventured off to college at Tulane University in New Orleans. The Crescent City expanded her culinary horizons, and appetite. After a marketing bout in the Fashion Industry, she decided to embark on the journey she was always meant to take. She graduated from The Institute for Integrative Nutrition in 2010 and became a certified holistic health counselor. To further her education and enhance her profession, she enrolled in a health-supportive culinary school. After graduating in 2011, she interned at Mas Farmhouse in the West Village and learned secrets of farm to table cuisine. She loves cooking with fresh, local and seasonal ingredients. Jessica dreams in food and has encyclopedic knowledge of the menus at most restaurants in New York, New Orleans & other destinations around the globe. She spends her free time putting her own spin on her favorite dishes.
Debbie Herman
Born in San Francisco, Debbie sees herself as a citizen of the world and frequently visits her favorite beaches and Mediterranean markets along the Adriatic Sea. She attended the University of California at Santa Cruz, where she discovered sustainable agriculture and the brightest, freshest ingredients of California. After working in various fields, Debbie decided to take the plunge and move to New York to follow her dream of creating an innovative food concept. Since culinary school, she worked at the flagship restaurant of celebrity chef Lidia Bastianich, Felidia in NYC. Working her way from pasta to pastry, Debbie became the Executive Chef’s Assistant and Kitchen Manager. With this success, Debbie was invited to the culinary team of the television show Lidia’s Italy in America. She also worked at the James Beard House, to prepare a special gluten-free dinner for some culinary heavyweights. Debbie is passionate about Italian and Mediterranean cuisine and travels the world to further discover food, wine, and hidden culinary gems.