Chef Jumoké Jackson, an executive chef and recipe developer, creates the perfect buttermilk biscuit through extensive trial and error.
Photo Cred: Chef Jumoké Jackson
Jumoké Jackson came into the food industry after years of finding corporate finance roles unfulfilling. Recalling his time working in restaurants when he was younger, Jackson started as a line cook. It was in kitchens through trial and error he found his passion for cooking again and developed a deep skillset for experimentation.
Jackson has been immersed in experimentation ever since he was a kid. Growing up as a shy kid, speaking in public was extremely difficult for him. However, by pushing himself out of his comfort zone, he developed skills to ease his anxieties, and to this day, he finds confidence in his public persona. Today, Jackson uses his social media presence to promotes his food brand and extroverted personality.
Practice makes better – it's a very simple formula. [Your output] is going to be crazy the first time and the second time. It won't be as bad the third time, a little less the fourth time, and hopefully a lot less by the 100th.
At the core of Jackson’s food offerings, he makes each diner’s experience as flavorful as possible – drawing inspiration from his time in fine dining. Under the teachings of Marcus Samuelsson and Chef McBride, Jackson apprenticed in NYC’s finest restaurants. His jobs varied from the beginning, working as a line chef, to later helping Chef Samuelsson open the restaurant American Table at Lincoln Center.
Assisting with designing the restaurant from concept to reality, Jackson helped plan each facet with the guests in mind. From the menus to the indoor décor, Jackson learned how to build dining experiences with the audience as the primary concern.
At American Table, I saw what it took to create a new restaurant from concept to fruition. I helped with everything from the menu evolution to getting the first customer to the door. It was exactly what I wanted as a chef - to focus primarily on the audience and bring to life what they enjoy.
Building his own private dining experiences, Jackson deftly moves through different cuisines and inspirations. From Thai to Italian, Jackson works closely with his clientele to identify how to produce satisfying menus for each client.
Beyond his private chef experiences, Jackson works closely on experimenting with recipe development for brands. In his most recent endeavor, Soulfull Biscuit, Jackson spent his time in the kitchen making over 15,000 biscuits – finding the near-perfect recipe.
He then worked to develop a plant-based burger for Everything Legendary. As an artist, he craves to produce the products that changes the way we think about food on the table.
I saw gaps in the plant-based food space. I wanted something that had real meat flavor. Flavor is my number one driver. I wanted to create the texture and mouthfeel that I enjoy with regular meat, but make it as healthy as possible. The idea is that the plant-based burger is a better option than the meat.
From his experimentation at home to fine dining restaurants in New York City, Jackson creates endless new experiments to craft meals with extreme precision. Within each menu, Jackson showcases his passion for creating delectable meals while reinventing himself and the future of the food world around him.
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