Photographer: Janelle Fong
Jess is a recipe developer, food stylist, and the cookbook author of the bestselling cookbook Health Nut and Salad Freak. After a decade working for the magazines and television shows as Martha Stewart’s food editor, producer, food stylist, and personal salad maker, Damuck made the move to the west coast. Damuck landed in Los Angeles to focus on fresh, produce-driven cooking, indulge in more dinner parties, and spend time in her ever-growing garden. She continues to live in Los Angeles with her partner Ben Sinclair and their pups, where they have built a strong sense of a creative community in their neighbourhood.
We had the pleasure of interviewing Jess recently about her creative process, the genius behind her latest creation and her lessons and learnings as a chef. Keep reading to discover how Jess infuses love and high-vibes into her dining experiences and day to day activities. You can also find the delicious icecream sandwich recipe she made inspired by our new Loco Love flavour HERE.
You famously throw fabulous dinner parties for your friends, what tips do you have for the perfect dinner party?
I really think sometimes the vibe is more important than the food.
Keep the food simple– don’t try out a crazy new complex recipe when a bunch of people are coming over. Mix up the sides every time according to the season (best if they can be prepped ahead of time) and stick to something you’ve got down like a roast chicken or salmon for the main dish.
And for vibe never have a light bulb in your dining room or wherever you’re eating over 4 watts, and have great playlists ready and try to get the volume just right.
You love the Farmer’s Markets, what hidden gems should we look out for during our next trip?
Right now I’m obsessed with melons.
You’ve written a salad recipe book, what ingredient is an unsung hero that we should all give a go next time we whip up a salad?
I like to keep a variety of vinegars on hand– there are so many fun kinds available now– make your own dressings with different vinegars and you’ll never get bored.
What would be the perfect Byron Bay x Los Angeles fusion dish?
Well I’ve never been to Byron Bay, but I think a really killer breakfast burrito sounds like something I’d want to have before I surfed in either place :).
Can you tell us about a dish or recipe that is particularly close to your heart, and why?
The Sweet Potato Bread with Miso Tahini butter in Health Nut has made SO many people so happy at my parties, and so many of my friends have begun to make it themselves. It’s the first recipe I developed for Health Nut too.
Can you share a memorable kitchen disaster or funny behind-the-scenes moment from your time as a chef?
The first memory that comes to mind is while prepping for a live Thanksgiving demo with Martha Stewart at the Chicago Bears stadium I turned out a giant cranberry gelatin mould in the shape of a turkey right in front of Martha and it hadn’t set yet… it was an absolute crime scene.
As a chef, how do you stay creative and continually innovate in your cooking? Where do you seek inspiration?
I get very burnt out when I’m cooking all the time just for work and it’s important for me to go to the farmer’s market, even when I don’t feel like it and just buy what excites me and play. Just for fun, sometimes just for myself, but it’s important to get in touch with the ingredients again in a really basic way. I also REALLY love going grocery shopping when I travel.
You’ve spoken about how you learned about the importance of a morning routine at school, what do your mornings look like these days?
Every morning my partner makes two glasses of lemon water for us to drink before we meditate for 20 minutes. This is a fairly new routine but when we can stick to it it feels great. Then I water the garden if it’s not my turn to walk the dogs. Then a pistachio milk latte… and then I try to get right into my ceramic studio or start a recipe… or to a work out class… and then I eat my breakfast/lunch (which right now involves a lot of delicious stone fruit).
Which secret ingredient would you say infuses your day to day the most: love, romance or magic? Why?
Wow I almost think these are all linked right? I consider myself romantic because of the way I infuse everything with love, and that’s kind of my magic power? Caring a little bit too much about every detail sometimes, but also noticing the details that so many people pass by that makes life absolutely magic. Does that make sense?
If we were to create a Jessie inspired Loco Love flavour, what would it be?
I really love citrus and dark chocolate and intense ginger flavour with dark chocolate… but I think I may have to go with the combination of sesame and a miso caramel…
What does "To Live in Love" mean to you?
Ram Dass’s guru, Maharajji used to tell him “Love everyone and tell the truth” . It seems simple enough, but it’s a daily choice. It is a choice to try to choose love even in tough moments as a way to move through the world, but when you operate from that place, instead of from fear (which to me is the opposite), things really begin to open.
