I started Meal Mate with the desire to support others who want to bring the joy of cooking into their lives, but are feeling stuck in figuring out how. Through compassionate kitchen coaching, I aim to meet people where they are, to offer nonjudgmental guidance and personalized coaching plans to help build their capacity to embark on their own cooking journey.
About the Chef
I’m Jamie-Claire (they/m).
“Life be lifeing”, and sometimes, simply feeding yourself seems far from simple. At least, it has been that way for me. But getting through the day means figuring out how to nourish our bodies with the resources that we do have. In my journey, I’ve found some helpful ways to manage.
But my journey did not start with me.
Cooking for me has been a language of care passed down from my ancestors through the generations, across oceans and experiences. My grandma, aunts, uncles, parents’ first means of survival in the US was working in Chinatown restaurants. Their form of care to this day is cooking me a delicious meal and watching me enjoy it. My journey began way before I was born.
My own experiences have consisted of time working in small local restaurants and cafes and as a food product entrepreneur founding Chili Crisps 4 Spicy Lips, a small-batch chili crisps company. I’ve also grown up cooking for my mom, siblings, and all the neighborhood friends that found a second home with us. Through these experiences, cooking has become for me a tool for building community, healing unspeakable hurts, and a practice of creativity and self-empowerment.