Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Bajsel.
Hi Jennifer , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I didn’t take a straight path into the kitchen.
I started cooking when I was 18, long before I ever called myself a chef. Cooking was something I did, not something I was. Life moved me through a lot of chapters first: retail, property management, even a career as a talent agent. Each job taught me something—how to read people, how to organize chaos, how to hustle, how to provide excellent customer service and exceed expectations—but none of them felt like home.
That changed after my divorce in 2002. The holidays were suddenly quieter, and I realized the one thing I wasn’t willing to lose was my Thanksgiving celebration. I loved opening my home, setting the table, feeding people, and creating a sense of warmth and belonging. I hosted an open house on Thanksgiving for the next several years. Cooking became my way of holding onto tradition, of gathering people together when life felt uncertain. Somewhere between roasting turkeys and passing dishes around the table, I realized how deeply I loved cooking for others.
When my talent agency closed, it felt like a door shutting—but it was really a door opening. At 40, I finally listened to the pull that had been there all along. In 2011, I went to culinary school and stepped into the kitchen professionally for the first time. I didn’t become a chef early in life—but I became one with intention, experience, and heart.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My culinary career has ebbed and flowed, but I have always felt successful. I began assisting a friend with her budding catering business just before culinary school. Once in school, I was hired by Celebrity Chef John Tesar. I stayed in restaurants for about 2 years before starting my own boutique catering company, Getting Saucy.
I had some challenges starting my business. I had to figure out marketing and pricing. I sometimes took on more work than I could handle on my own. But each gig taught me valuable lessons. I also had great friends who supported me and allowed me to grow my brand. My goal was to become a private chef eventually. In addition, I wanted to grow my culinary media career.
Opportunities found me. I have been a private chef for 10 years now. I have also appeared on the Food Network and have my own cooking show. I am the food contributor to Living Magazine.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I have become a dynamic private chef and culinary educator celebrated for my passion for Italian cuisine. Though not Italian by heritage, I have built my career around honoring the food, history, and culture of Italy—bringing authenticity and storytelling to every dish I create.
I am currently a private chef and owner of the personal chef/boutique catering company Getting Saucy. My “day” job is cooking for a family in Preston Hollow. I also cater small private dinners for an elite clientele. My culinary style is Italian, with a farm-to-table focus on nutrition. I promote eating healthy, well-balanced meals to my private clients while meeting their individual tastes. I use organic, non-GMO, seasonal ingredients and feature global flavors.
As the host of Getting Saucy, a lively Italian cooking show, I blend approachable technique with rich culinary traditions. My cooking show airs on “Eat This TV” network. I have also become the food contributor to Living Magazine Texas, expanding my food writing. My culinary expertise and creativity have also been showcased on national television, with appearances on Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay and Chopped.
Beyond the kitchen, I am an active leader in the global food community. I currently serve as President of the Dallas Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International and hold dual membership with the organization’s Italy Chapter, reflecting my deep connection to Italian gastronomy. My leadership and influence in the culinary field were recently recognized with an Influential Women honor.
My work as a chef, educator, and community leader continues to inspire others by celebrating the flavors of Italy and creating meaningful connections through food. Aligning with my work is advocating for a better American food system. As a food advocate, I promote the use of organic, non-GMO ingredients from local, sustainable farms and support animal and environmental welfare.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Flexibility is one of the most important qualities a chef can have, because food is never just food—it’s people, stories, and circumstances coming together at the table. A flexible chef knows how to adapt without losing integrity, responding thoughtfully to dietary needs, preferences, and unexpected changes while still delivering something meaningful and delicious.
In the kitchen, flexibility is a sign of confidence and experience. It allows a chef to problem-solve in real time, honor individual guests, and create an atmosphere of ease and trust. When a chef is flexible, guests feel comfortable, cared for, and welcome—free to enjoy the experience rather than worry about being accommodated.
True flexibility doesn’t dilute creativity or standards; it sharpens them. It’s what turns a well-cooked meal into genuine hospitality and a shared moment worth remembering.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.JenniferBajsel.com
- Instagram: Jennifer_Bajsel
- Facebook: Jennifer Bajsel
- LinkedIn: Jennifer Bajsel
- Other: TikTok@jenniferbajsel
Image Credits
photos taken by Jennifer Bajsel
