“There are plenty of people (in SOMa)…who enjoy cooking homemade food and want to expand their repertoire to keep things fresh week after week. I get to know families–what they like and dislike about cooking and eating, so that I can hand-pick recipes that are sure to be big hits.”
I have been very impressed in my short time here in SOMa with the number of people I’ve met who have pivoted in their personal lives or careers (or both!). Jessica Fox, founder of Cook up a Plan, is just one of those people we plan on talking with here at Afield. After spending the last several years focused on parenting her two young children, Jessica wanted to start her own business building on her past experience working as a recipe developer and her ubiquitous passion for food. Launched just last month, Cook up a Plan is a meal-planning service for families who are daunted by the intimidatingly quotidian task of deciding what’s for dinner.
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Name: Jessica Fox
Place of birth: Southern New Jersey
Places lived: Lancaster, PA, Manhattan, Madrid, Jersey City
Current city: Maplewood, New Jersey
Occupation: Founder, Cook up a Plan
Afield: Talk to us a bit about your background and how you ended up working with food?
Jessica Fox: I grew up watching hours of Food Network, and was obsessed with trying new restaurants and learning about different dishes and cuisines. My dream was to work at Gourmet Magazine (RIP). But, hard as I tried to get in the door at the oh-so-glamorous Condé Nast, I just couldn’t crack it. So I ended up doing PR at Simon & Schuster. It was a fun first job, but didn’t get me where I wanted to be, so I left and went to culinary school at ICE (Institute of Culinary Education). From there I went to the Good Housekeeping food department, followed by Blue Apron, the Food Network and HelloFresh.
A: what made you want to venture out on your own?
JF: Meal kits like Blue Apron and HelloFresh are a bit of a luxury. No one wants to use them ALL the time. Everything comes packaged in ice, plastic, and materials that go to waste and the selection of recipes can be extremely limiting to people with picky kids, allergies, or dietary restrictions. The quality of the produce and proteins can be iffy due to packaging, sourcing or transit time. They are convenient, but not ideal for the long term. I know TONS of people who tried them, liked them, and still get them occasionally. The other days, they just buy groceries and cook dinner.
Afield Guide
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Afield Guide 〰️
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Common Lot never lets me down, it’s a special treat
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ABC Kitchen an “old” standard, Llama San, but it always changes!
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Perfectly done Moules frites with great bread
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Pasta of any kind
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Miso paste
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NYC for sure, but I always have amazing food in Denver!
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A super-sharp Japanese knife
A: So what exactly is Cook up a Plan?
JF: What people really love about the meal kits is that most of the planning and decision-making is taken care of, and this is where I come in. I help people decide what to make without all the packaging and give them a shopping list that incorporates dinner ingredients to their usual shopping habits. I get to know families–what they like and dislike about cooking and eating, so that I can hand-pick recipes that are sure to be big hits. Using my knowledge of recipes and how they’re written, I can determine whether they’ll work well, if some steps can be skipped for convenience, and how to make it more accessible for families’ needs. I also pick things that can be made ahead of time and include options for store-bought shortcuts. Love those!
A: What do you feel SOMA parents in particular are looking for when it comes to feeding their families?
JF: We’re all super busy here in SOMa and most people are looking for healthy meals that are easy to prepare and make everyone happy. No one wants to cook one meal for the kids and one for the adults. Then again, there are definitely a lot of people who hate cooking or have zero time to do it. I have meal delivery services to recommend for them! But there are plenty of people who, like me, enjoy cooking homemade food and want to expand their repertoire to keep things fresh week after week. So there’s a good mix of all of us around here! I’ll also add that living so close to NYC makes us all, by default, appreciate good food.
A: What do you love about living in SOMa?
JF: I love how active everyone is in this community. Everyone has strong beliefs and stands up for them– on all sides of every issue. If there’s something wrong or something needs to be changed, groups of advocates form, calls are made, and letters sent! I also love how the community supports local businesses. SOMa/MapSO residents always prefer to support local businesses before taking their money somewhere else. It’s a commuter town composed of MANY city transplants but with a small town feel–where everyone knows your name!
A: What do you think could be better? What’s missing?
JF: My husband and I talk about this a LOT, but we’d LOVE to have a fancy ice cream or gelato joint! I mean it doesn’t even have to be fancy, just really good quality. I’ve also heard from several local friends that we're missing good, healthy lunch spots, especially in Maplewood village. We have Jackie and Son, The Order and True Salvage, but a vegetable-based takeout spot around here would be awesome. I often go to Little Beet Kitchen in NYC and would love something like that here (RIP Sprout).
Jessica Fox is the founder of Cook up a Plan and mother of two boys. She lives in Maplewood.
