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Ep #1 - Meet Your Host - Jensen Cummings (Part 1)
Chef Cummings talks about his WHY behind starting the Best Served Podcast. He also sparks the conversation about the WHO that have impacted him in his life and career. The “Meet Your Host” episodes will be a series in which we’ll learn more and more about the Unsung Hospitality Heroes that Jensen is here to recognize.
Website - BestServedPodcast.com
Facebook - /bestservedpodcast /jensencummings
Instagram - @bestservedpodcast @chefjensencummings
Twitter - @bestservedpod @chefjensencummings
Tik Tok - @bestservedpodcast @chefjensencummings
My family has been in the restaurant industry for over 115 years. I am the fifth consecutive generation of chef/restaurateur. We opened our first place, called La Fond House, in Little Falls, Minnesota, in 1900. I am one of the lucky few working in a restaurant early in their life, that was never asked, “when are you getting a real job?”. I have always felt empowered by that level of belief and support in becoming a chef. Even with all this lineage and legacy within my family history, I still did not grow up thinking I would be a chef. Movie director, musician, pro skateboarder or Superhero were more on my radar.
It was not until I graduated high school in Southern California and went to Ames, Iowa to work a summer job for my uncle Rick at his restaurant, Wallaby’s Bar & Grill as a dishwasher. Just a 17 year old punk in the dish pit and less than a month in, I was hooked! The fast paced lifestyle, work hard, play hard and the comradery (albeit dysfunctional and ultimately toxic) it was the band of counter culture rebels I had been longing for. I worked in Ames at multiple of my two uncle’s restaurants (they have five in this small college town – Iowa State University) and excelled, moving up to lead very quickly. After four years, I decided to go to culinary school and go all in on this chef thing. Working and going to school was challenging, and I believe instrumental in my development as I was able to apply knowledge and techniques learned as well as have the perspective of what it takes to cook and a crazy ass pace and volume. My cohorts from those days like Carlos Uribe, John Wallace, Tony Johnson, Nick Smith, Matt White, Scott Heitzman, David Roth, Rich Prouty, Anthony Wiese, Jeff Ippolito, Nick Marzen, David Faux and many others have stayed influences in my life and career. I feel so lucky to know them and worked along side them. They all took me under their wing for sure!
Look out for more of my story and get introduced to more people who have been a part of my journey...
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By Jensen Cummings
5
88 ratings
Chef Cummings talks about his WHY behind starting the Best Served Podcast. He also sparks the conversation about the WHO that have impacted him in his life and career. The “Meet Your Host” episodes will be a series in which we’ll learn more and more about the Unsung Hospitality Heroes that Jensen is here to recognize.
Website - BestServedPodcast.com
Facebook - /bestservedpodcast /jensencummings
Instagram - @bestservedpodcast @chefjensencummings
Twitter - @bestservedpod @chefjensencummings
Tik Tok - @bestservedpodcast @chefjensencummings
My family has been in the restaurant industry for over 115 years. I am the fifth consecutive generation of chef/restaurateur. We opened our first place, called La Fond House, in Little Falls, Minnesota, in 1900. I am one of the lucky few working in a restaurant early in their life, that was never asked, “when are you getting a real job?”. I have always felt empowered by that level of belief and support in becoming a chef. Even with all this lineage and legacy within my family history, I still did not grow up thinking I would be a chef. Movie director, musician, pro skateboarder or Superhero were more on my radar.
It was not until I graduated high school in Southern California and went to Ames, Iowa to work a summer job for my uncle Rick at his restaurant, Wallaby’s Bar & Grill as a dishwasher. Just a 17 year old punk in the dish pit and less than a month in, I was hooked! The fast paced lifestyle, work hard, play hard and the comradery (albeit dysfunctional and ultimately toxic) it was the band of counter culture rebels I had been longing for. I worked in Ames at multiple of my two uncle’s restaurants (they have five in this small college town – Iowa State University) and excelled, moving up to lead very quickly. After four years, I decided to go to culinary school and go all in on this chef thing. Working and going to school was challenging, and I believe instrumental in my development as I was able to apply knowledge and techniques learned as well as have the perspective of what it takes to cook and a crazy ass pace and volume. My cohorts from those days like Carlos Uribe, John Wallace, Tony Johnson, Nick Smith, Matt White, Scott Heitzman, David Roth, Rich Prouty, Anthony Wiese, Jeff Ippolito, Nick Marzen, David Faux and many others have stayed influences in my life and career. I feel so lucky to know them and worked along side them. They all took me under their wing for sure!
Look out for more of my story and get introduced to more people who have been a part of my journey...