I'm Jessica, the recipe developer, culinary instructor, and creator behind Homebody Eats® since 2019. The first (and most important) thing you need to know about me is that I'm completely obsessed with food!
If you've ever wished someone would actually explain why a recipe works instead of just handing you a list of ingredients, you're in the right place!!
Homebody Eats is where I teach home cooks the techniques, skills, and culinary concepts that help you become more confident in the kitchen.
Once you understand the why, cooking becomes so much easier.
Whether we're making authentic Italian pasta, French macarons, Neapolitan pizza, or homemade ice cream, my goal is always the same: To help you learn something new every time you cook!
A Few Things About Me
Outside of the kitchen, my husband and I live in St. Louis, Missouri, with our two cats, Sushi and Pancake.
I'm a minimalist when it comes to kitchen gadgets, so if there's something I recommend, you know it's good!
I never turn down really good gelato or ice cream (it's my favorite dessert).
I love traveling, especially when it revolves around experiencing a new culture through food. One of my goals is to eat my way through all 20 regions of Italy and experience the unique ingredients, traditions, and dishes that make each one so special. Oh, and to see all of the U.S. National Parks!
One of my favorite parts of this job is connecting with fellow foodies. I love hearing about what you're cooking, swapping recipe ideas, answering kitchen questions, and learning from your food experiences. Some of my favorite recipe ideas have come from conversations with my readers and students!
And I'll happily spend an afternoon talking about culinary school or Italy if you let me.
I Wasn't Always Formally Trained
I've loved food for as long as I can remember!
Growing up, I was the kid who watched cooking shows for fun and couldn't wait to try new recipes at home. By the time I was in college, cooking had become my favorite hobby.
While on a budget, my husband and I had to learn how to be savvy with our money but still cook delicious food for ourselves and our friends because I refused to eat ramen and cereal for every meal!
My hobby continued to grow, and my curiosity eventually turned into a full-on obsession.
I started reading cookbooks, taking local culinary classes, watching YouTube videos, and asking questions about everything I cooked.
The more I learned, the more I realized I wanted to understand not just how to cook, but why chefs did things the way they did!
Culinary School In Southern Italy
Back in 2023, I packed my bags and headed to Italy for three months to attend the Italian Culinary Institute. It completely changed the way I think about food!
Of course, I learned how to make fresh pasta, pizza, gelato, bread, pastries, and regional Italian dishes.
But the biggest lessons had nothing to do with recipes. It was about learning to appreciate high-quality, local ingredients while highlighting them with thoughtful techniques.
Simplicity is key to creating really delicious food!
Throughout culinary school, we regularly left the classroom to visit local producers. From wineries to cheese makers and olive oil producers, we learned about authentic, regional Italian cuisine straight from the source!
Looking back, culinary school taught me so much more than how to cook.
It taught me to trust my instincts in the kitchen instead of relying on a recipe for every answer. I learned how to troubleshoot when things don't go as planned, stay calm under pressure, and understand why techniques work, not just how to follow them.
Most importantly, it gave me the confidence to keep learning, keep asking questions, and share everything I've learned with home cooks like you!
What You'll Learn On Homebody Eats
Today, every recipe, cooking guide, and class I create is inspired by my time in Italy. My goal is to help you feel that same confidence in the kitchen, one recipe at a time.
You'll learn things like:
- Why bread dough behaves the way it does.
- How professional chefs build flavor.
- The science behind homemade ice cream and gelato.
- The techniques Italians use to make pasta taste so good.
- How ingredients affect the final result.
- Professional methods and skills adapted for your home kitchen.
Most importantly, you can be confident that the recipes on Homebody Eats have been rigorously tested (often 10 or more times) and copy edited (shoutout to my sister), so you know they'll turn out correctly!
Teaching Cooking Courses
Teaching has become one of my favorite parts of what I do!
In addition to sharing recipes here on Homebody Eats, I teach virtual and in-person cooking and baking classes where home cooks can learn alongside me.
These courses dive deeper into techniques that are difficult to learn from a written recipe alone. If you've ever wished someone could stand next to you in the kitchen and explain exactly what to do and what to look for, that's how I designed my classes:
- Authentic Italian Lasagna
- Bake with Confidence: French Macarons
- Heart Shaped French Macarons
- How to Make Authentic Italian Gelato
- Italian Focaccia Bread
- Lemon Poppy Seed Macarons
- Sourdough Made Simple
- Spicy Vodka Pasta
- The Macaron Baking Experience
I also host monthly live Zoom classes throughout the year, so be sure to join my email list to hear about upcoming workshops.
And if you're local to the St. Louis area, I'd love to cook with you in person at Toast & Table!
Digital Cookbooks
Sometimes you just need a little inspiration in the kitchen! That's why I've created digital cookbooks packed with reliable recipes, step-by-step guidance, and all of my favorite flavor combinations.
- Flavorful Fillings: Over 100 macaron filling recipes, including buttercreams, ganache, caramel, curds, compotes, jams, and more. It's the perfect companion once you've mastered macaron shells and want endless flavor inspiration.
- The Ultimate Shot Guide: More than 200 creative shot recipes organized by flavor and color, plus bartending tips, classic recipes, and inspiration for holidays, parties, and themed events.
FAQs
Homebody Eats was inspired by my love of cooking at home. I truly believe you don't need a restaurant kitchen or fancy equipment to make incredible food.
My goal has always been to help home cooks build confidence in the kitchen by teaching approachable recipes, practical techniques, and the "why" behind what we're making. Think of it as your own version of culinary school, right from home.
I started Homebody Eats in 2019 as a creative outlet to share the recipes I was making in my own kitchen.
What began as a hobby has grown into something I never imagined, from teaching cooking classes and developing recipes to attending culinary school in Italy and helping thousands of home cooks feel more confident in the kitchen!
Yes! In 2023, I attended the Italian Culinary Institute in Southern Italy, where I spent three months studying regional Italian cuisine. If you're curious about my experience, you can read more about my culinary school journey.
Without a doubt, it's connecting with other food lovers!
I love hearing what you're cooking, answering your questions, troubleshooting recipes together, and swapping food stories. One of the best parts of this community is that we're all learning from each other.
If you ever make one of my recipes, I'd love to see it! Feel free to tag me on social media or send me a message.
This changes all the time! One week, I'm completely obsessed with baking bread. Then next, I'm making homemade gelato, testing pizza dough, or creating a new pasta recipe. I love learning new techniques and experimenting in the kitchen, which means you'll find a little bit of everything here on Homebody Eats.
The endless world of food is what keeps me excited to keep learning and teaching!
My Favorite Recipes
If you're new around here, these are a few recipes I'd recommend making first. They're some of my all-time favorites and the recipes I come back to again and again! You can search all recipes on my recipe index, sorted by categories.
Featured On
I'm incredibly grateful to have shared my recipes, culinary school journey, and love of teaching with a variety of publications, podcasts, and brands over the years.
Podcast Appearances
- Is Going To Culinary School Helpful For Food Bloggers — Eat Blog Talk
Guest Chef Appearances
- The Bake Fest Instructor — Mastering Italian Gelato
- Toast & Table Guest Chef — Garden Focaccia, Macarons, Homemade Sourdough, Italian Pasta, and more
Contact Information
One of my favorite parts of Homebody Eats is getting to know the people cooking these recipes.
Whether you have a question about a recipe, want to share a photo of something you made, or just want to chat about food, I'd love to hear from you.
You can always contact me at jessica@homebodyeats.com, or come hang out with me on social media, where I share behind-the-scenes moments, recipes, cooking tips, and plenty of stories from culinary school in Italy.
If you're a brand, I'd love to connect and work together.
I can't wait to cook with you!