Jody has over ten years’ experience in the culinary industry. She grew up in Idaho and attended Boise State University before making her move to San Francisco to attend the California Culinary Academy. She graduated in 2004 with a culinary degree and certifications in Nutrition and Safety & Sanitation. The next four years were spent building her culinary knowledge by traveling and working in catering, as a personal chef/owner of an organic meal delivery service, manager/teacher of a children’s cooking school, personal dietician, as well as a chef in a fine dining restaurant. In 2008 Jody was hired as the Corporate Chef of Research & Development at Magic Seasoning Blends in New Orleans, Louisiana. She worked and trained under Paul Prudhomme, duplicating and creating new menu items, products, recipes, seasoning blends, sauces and salad dressings for manufacturing companies and chain restaurants.
As a Culinology Development Chef for HB Specialty Foods, Jody assists and leads the formulation for new and existing products and helps develop them to specification, as well as working to support sales and marketing in developing and delivering effective customer presentations. She is also actively involved in the Research Chefs Association and is currently on the Membership Committee.