Kristine M. Kierzek
Originally from Maskego, Jesa Henneberry is one of the chefs competing for a $ 250,000 investment in the first restaurant at Food Network’s new Big Restaurant Bet.
Sponsored by Jeffrey Zakaria, “Big Restaurant Bet” brought competitors to Florida in a new series of six one-hour episodes that premiered on Food Network on April 5th and is streamed weekly on Discovery +. Competitors are tackling a series of challenges, signing a $ 250,000 contract with a Zakarian company and trying to open their own restaurant.
Hennebury graduated from Fashion Institute of Technology and worked in the fashion industry for 10 years. It eventually raised her interest in fitness and health, and she attended the Natural Gourmand Institute for the Arts of Health and Cooking in New York City. She has become a private chef and restaurant consultant with a particular focus on sports nutrition such as vegan, pareo and allergen-free menus.
Hennebury, who is currently working on a plan for her first restaurant, Maze, in Westfield, NJ, returns to the Milwaukee area on a regular basis. She always plans to stop by Cups and enjoy her taste of the day.
Question: What are the roots of Wisconsin and how it affects today’s approach? How often do you return to this area?
answer: I grew up in Maskego and graduated from high school in 1997. I went to New York as a fashion designer, spent 10 years in the fashion industry and then turned to a culinary career. One of the things I always talk to people about my food style is that it has a Midwestern approach. It’s not unnatural and not too far away. I love comfort food.
Related:West Alice’s pastry chef and restaurant owner appears in Food Network’s “Halloween Wars.”
Related:Sussex’s organic snacks and breakfast companies will be featured at the Food Network Show
Q: What made you decide to use “Big Restaurant Bet”? Have you ever auditioned or asked for another show in the past?
A: A: I’ve done “Chopped” in the past and have been called in to do some other shows. This seemed like a good opportunity for me.
I’m turning from a private chef and consultant, and working in the restaurant scene is a cool bridge between my fashion designer and chef’s life. The two creative brains work together. When you move your career, you need support, and Geoffrey (Zakarian) returning to my restaurant and standing behind me gives it.
Q: Your interests and disciplines specialize in sports nutrition, vegan, paleo, ketogenic, and allergen-free diets. What caused this interest and what are the biggest challenges in building a restaurant concept around this platform? Or does it affect your platform as well?
A: A: My diet is rooted in healthy cooking. I personally competed in the bodybuilding world and learned to learn a healthy diet from a new perspective, but I wanted taste, great skill and talent.
As I progressed through my career path, I realized that there was a way to make healthy foods that weren’t on your face and weren’t blatantly healthy. My restaurant is a globally inspired Mexican restaurant, but everything I touch has this healthy thread. I’m not your typical French cooking trained chef. Fried food is not abundant. I’m trying to get the vegetables in front of the plants.
Q: What made you decide to go on the path of fashion and cooking?
A: A: I came to New York. When I was in the world of fashion design, it was all about smoothing and eating out. I realized that I wasn’t eating healthy and gained weight. I need to consider my health. I was fortunate to be able to adopt a healthy diet and lifestyle in my late twenties. I don’t think many people will start it until it’s too late.
Q: What is the biggest thing you are robbing from participating in the “Big Restaurant Bet” process?
A: A: You must always be inspired to follow your dreams. Your career is constantly evolving. Don’t be afraid to take on challenges and risks.
Q: What are the ingredients, recipes and techniques to introduce to you?
A: A: It’s difficult. I’m currently thinking of a super pungent meal like eating from seeds. I like black onion seeds, they give a burst of flavor, or the roar of germinated buckwheat sprinkled on a salad. This is a great way to give it a texture, rather than traditional nuts and seeds.
Or I love delicious granola, they are fun. Salted egg yolks are different for now. I’m just playing The coolest part of my profession is that you can just play. Don’t be afraid of food, that’s what I say.
Q: Are there any celebrities you can mention from your work as a private chef?
A: A: no. In reality, many NDAs (nondisclosure agreements) need to be signed. I recently worked with one of the New York Giants.
Q: What advice and lessons have you learned from working with Jeffrey Zakarian?
A: A: I have learned that professionalism and knowing your skills are very important, and just with passion to understand that it requires a team. The restaurant is a complete family situation. You need to rely on all of your crew.
Q: What did you learn by working as a private chef or consultant instead of a restaurant? What do you tell other ambitious chefs?
A: A: I took a completely unorthodox route. I wasn’t going my way the traditional way you would, was the head chef of Rhein Cook and the restaurant or something like that. I work as a consultant who creates menus, trains staff, and works with ownership, and has done a lot of start-up work.
By following this unorthodox route, I think I have had the opportunity to really understand why I am a tick and happy. Going on the traditional route can lead to many burnouts, especially for long periods of time. The commitment is tremendous. That’s definitely not what I’m afraid of. By following your dreams and understanding what you want to do, you will be able to maintain inspiration and motivation.
Table Chat features interviews with Wisconsin natives or Wisconsin natives who work in restaurants or support the restaurant industry. Or a visiting chef. To suggest an individual to profile, please send an email to psullivan@gannett.com.
