Jessica Lane

Connect What is your signature dish?

Shrimp pineapple curry. The first time I ever had, the dish was at a place called Tips Thai in Ventura. The owner of Tips passed away a few years back. May he rest in peace. But he was so fun with his customers and would teach you little things about Thailand while he took shots with you. I have since painstakingly re-created that dish because I have never been able to have it as good as Tips made it! Until I mastered it myself, of course.

Who is your culinary inspiration?

My dad. Not because he was good, but because he was so bad. He was a really big health nut so he would try to add nutritional value everywhere. That translated to adding flaxseed to everything for a good solid two years. Before that it was garlic, before that it was seaweed snacks before they were cool or it tasted good. Lol

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would use it to get my business off the ground. I wish to be a personal chef that simply teaches people how to use what they got, cook the food in their house, meal plan while my employees also clean their house and do their laundry because it’s hard to do it all when you’re just one person. I’m trying to help my sisters out. Personal chefs aren’t just for the rich and famous if it’s up to me. I want to bring stress relief and food education on speed dial.