Jenna: chef. food lover. vegetable fanatic. fun personality. Colorado native. I like my steaks rare, my food local, someone I really like to share it with and a glass of red wine to wash it down.

I have known my whole life that I wanted to cook and share food for a living. Luckily, I’m really good at it.

I started working at a bakery for free at 14, when I wanted to be a pastry chef. Baking is so exact, I learned that it makes me crazy. However, I love it, have never hired a pastry chef and have always done my own desserts in my restaurants.

After high school in Boulder, CO, I earned a Restaurant and Resort Management degree. I graduated early to attend Culinary school in Vail. Then I followed my heart to Italy, where I could meet the people, live the life, drink the wine, shop the markets and speak the language.

I eat, sleep, breathe and bathe food. I have opened many restaurants with other people’s money, and one with my own. I have literally bled from hard work and celebrated many birthdays, anniversaries and girls night outs with guests at these restaurants.

Now, I am so blessed to be in Denver with Mark and the kids, our 9 chickens, 1 bunny and our dog, Bella. Honeybees and a potbellied pig are to come. I am taking more time to spend with my family who live in this area for the most part… I am finding my future and have a lot of opportunities.

I’m taking more time to travel and follow some of of my other passions, teaching cooking, speaking other languages (Italian, Spanish and French), reading and writing about food.

If I wasn’t a chef, I would be a DJ. I love music.