Jennifer Jasinski Biography

Jasinski began cooking at an early age out of need. Growing up in a single-parent family with two brothers who all took turns cooking, Jasinski acquired a talent for following recipes and coming up with her own, until it was always her turn to prepare. In a high school vocational program for budding chefs, Jasinski decided to abandon her other passion, music, and devote her studies to cooking, permanently swapping the beautiful sounds of her clarinet, oboe, and flute for the cacophony of banging pots and pans. At the time, the greatest cooking school in California was practically in her own backyard: Santa Barbara City College, where she not only honed her cooking talents but also gained restaurant management and front-of-the-house experience. Jasinski, ever the overachiever, then pushed her education to the next level at the Culinary Institute of America, where she made the dean's list and upset more than a few professors by criticizing their principles or practices. She says, "I think you receive out of things what you put into them." I'm always looking for methods to get the most out of whatever I do. She does, in fact. Jasinski finished her official schooling before the age of 21 by working her way through school by serving tables on campus during the week and apprenticing in the renowned Rainbow Room kitchen in New York City on weekends. Following college, Jasinski worked at the Rainbow Room under famous restaurateur Joe Baum and Chef André Rene, where she received the true basis of her education. A accidental meeting with a visitor at the restaurant — Wolfgang Puck – proved to be a watershed moment in her career. He remarked in polite, casual conversation that she should look him up when she was in Los Angeles. That is exactly what she did. Weary of New York City's chaotic, fast-paced lifestyle, Jasinski was attracted back to sunny Southern California with a bold plan: to apply for a job at one of the top 10 restaurants in Los Angeles, one of which was Puck's Spago. She obtained a position at the renowned Hotel Bel Air, where she reconnected with Wolfgang Puck, who was working as a consultant for the hotel's cuisine at the time. When their paths crossed again, Puck took a more than casual interest, recommending her to Jody Denton, of Mansion on Turtle Creek fame, who was in the process of training a culinary crew for a new restaurant launching. Jasinski began as a lead line cook at Eureka, a Los Angeles brewery restaurant, and was promoted to sous chef within a year. From that point forward, Jasinski's fate was inextricably bound to Puck's. Their innovative and productive 10-year collaboration led Jasinski all over the nation, with her assisting in the development and opening of restaurants, creating menus, training and managing employees, and, of course, donning the chef's hat for restaurant concepts ranging from fine dining to café cuisine. She has worked as a sous chef at Postrio in San Francisco, as a café chef at Spago in Las Vegas, as an executive sous chef at Granita in Malibu, as an executive sous chef at Spago in Chicago, and as a corporate chef at Wolfgang Puck Food Company. She even worked at Ledoyan, a Michelin two-star restaurant in Paris, with Puck's help and encouragement. Jasinski describes Wolfgang as his mentor and culinary role model. My motto is his concept that it's not so much what you do as it is how you do it...You can create mashed potatoes or excellent potato puree. In the year 2000, Jasinski chose to simplify her life and live in Denver, one of the sites on the Wolfgang Puck tour that she fell in love with. Jasinski rose to the position of Executive Chef at Panzano, where profiles and reviews in local and national newspapers placed her at the top of her class. She was not only extremely successful, but she also had the opportunity to collaborate with future business partner Beth Gruitch. Jasinski and Gruitch decided to leave their jobs in 2003 to start their first restaurant business. The next year, they launched Rioja, a modern restaurant in Denver's Larimer Square with a Mediterranean menu influenced by local and seasonal Rocky Mountain products. Jasinski had created over ten kitchen models during her time at Puck and had no qualms about doing the same for her own. Chef Jen has had a fantastic year in 2013. On May 6th, she became the first Denver chef to receive The James Beard Foundation Best Chef Southwest award at an event in New York City. She is also a Top Chef Masters Season 5 participant, with Brian Voltaggio, David Burke, Douglas Keane, and Sang Yoon. Rioja, Bistro Vendôme, and Euclid Hall have routinely been named among Denver's finest restaurants by the Rocky Mountain News, 5280 Magazine, and the Gabby Gourmet Restaurant Guide, and Rioja has been granted four stars by AAA since 2010. Chef of the Year, Best New Chef, Rising Star, and other honors have been bestowed to Jasinski by Denver Magazine, Restaurant Hospitality, Nation's Restaurant News, The Denver Post, and 5280 Magazine. She received the Jean Yancey award at the National Association of Women Business Owners Outstanding Women in Business honors, which were presented by the Denver Business Journal in 2007. The American Culinary Federation honored Jasinski Colorado Chef of the Year in 2004 and Western Regional Chef of the Year in 2005, and he also featured on The Food Network's "Thanksgiving Challenge" that year. Jasinski and Gruitch decided to buy Café Vendôme, a classic French bistro across the street from Rioja, in April 2006. Euclid Hall Bar and Kitchen, their third restaurant, debuted on 8/9/10 at 11:12:13 a.m., right around the corner from Rioja. In 2010, Euclid Hall was named one of 5280 magazine's top ten new restaurants. The Perfect Bite, Jasinski's new cookbook including 76 dishes from the Rioja kitchen, was released in 2011. Jasinski, a tireless worker, has appeared as a guest chef at several fundraisers around the country. She likes traveling, mountain biking, and skiing with her family and friends in her leisure time.

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