Joy Jenkins, a Personal Chef since 2012, and a professional in the food industry for over 20 years. From her beginnings as a hostess she has tackled nearly every position in both front and back of house in multiple restaurants; on through to menu consulting, wine buying, cookbook building and setting out on her own to work privately with clients and families, she is always seeking new challenges.

While receiving her Bachelors in Science in Dietetics and Food Administration at CSULB (2009), she spent her time working in a fast paced restaurant as a server and manager throughout college. This firmly solidified her place as an industry professional; combining intense study and understanding the body, and learning first hand what people really enjoy as a dining experience, created the groundwork for her deep knowledge and passion for great meals shared with family and friends.

In 2009 New York City and classes at the French Culinary Institute became her new focus. Her studies in regional Italian cuisine took her to a tiny town outside of Parma, Italy - Colorno - where she and her classmates began their immersion into Italian gastronomy, language, viticulture and lifestyle. ALMA La Scoula Cucina Italiana a transcendent experience, biking along the Po River Valley to class to learn how to make the perfect risotto, carbonara, or bronzino. Tasting Amarone, Brunello di Montochino and Vin Santo; sharing and dissecting dishes they learned; a walk in the gardens modeled after Versailles. Weekend traveling to near by destinations to taste and indulge in the regions peak ingredients, bliss. Siena, Florence, Bologna, Trentino, Rome, and Napoli and everywhere in between for months, it was clear Italian culture, and its deep history as a gastronomic capital had become her new obsession.

Locada Ca Matilde, a Michelin stared Relais Chateaux in the rolling hills outside of Reggio- Emilia was an ‘into the frying pan’ experience of understanding a Michelin kitchen, the dance of the kitchen, and living as an Italian. An experience not for the faint of heart, but welcomed the challenge of her stagista. The many months cooking, gardening, living, baking and being on the line 6 days a week made future demands of becoming a chef seem possible, while still hard fought, worth the effort.

Back in New York City working at the renowned Il Buco, helmed by the phenomenal Chef Ignacio Mattos, she her hone her style. Effortlessly simple, but sharp defined flavors, cleanly presented with only the best produce, grains and proteins that could be sourced.

Finding her style as a chef, learning keys to organization, discipline of practice and time management it was time to encapsulate all she had learning since the beginning her culinary journey. Which led Joy back home, to Los Angeles, California.

She now works closely with clients to create wonderful meal experiences throughout the year. Her enthusiasm and drive to develop recipes, meal plans and events is ceaseless.

For the past 11 years she has created menus for every dietary need; Vegan, Paleo, Macrobiotic to name a few. Tailoring any need and sourcing any product. With flavor profiles and textures that will surprise and delight the most avid foodies, Joy showcases not only her positive vibe, but her love for maximizing flavor while keeping the inherent goodness of all the ingredients California has too offer.

Enjoy.