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Home | Jess Bender

Jess Bender

Jess’s love of food (and everything associated with it) comes from her early days baking Linzer tarts and perfecting her grandmotherโ€™s meatloaf recipe. Her culinary horizons may have expanded significantly since her childhoodโ€”ask her about her favorite Ethiopian and Thai haunts in New York City and sheโ€™ll happily give you a list!โ€”but she still finds immense joy embracing the classics she grew up with. That being said, sheโ€™s always willing to take a risk when it comes to trying new recipes and utilizing one of her new spices from her Burlap & Barrel Spice Club membership.ย 

Much of her professional career has also revolved around her passions. From writing restaurant reviews to playing an editorial hand in Zagatโ€™s 40th Anniversary Edition, she now currently works at a prominent morning show as a senior commerce editor. She currently resides with her partner and an inappropriately-large cookbook collection.

Jess Bender
A white oval serving platter filled with carrot ribbon salad and garnished with cilantro leaves.

Carrot Ribbon Salad

35 mins

A plate of pasta with pancetta and Brussels sprouts with a couple spoons resting in it and a bowl of Parmesan and dill on the side.

Pasta with Pancetta & Brussels Sprouts

50 mins

Sheet pan chicken with rosemary and grapes on a large metal pan with a fork, on a linen napkin.

Sheet Pan Chicken with Rosemary and Grapes

1 hr

A sheet pan filled with roasted chicken thighs, apples, bacon, Brussels sprouts, and sweet potatoes.

Sheet Pan Chicken with Apples, Bacon, and Brussels Sprouts

1 hr

A green bowl filled with scrambled eggs and green pieces of zucchini on a tile tabletop, with a fork.

Zucchini and Eggs

35 mins

A sheet pan with 9 chicken thighs covered in a deep reddish sauce, blackened in spots.

Pomegranate Sumac Chicken

4 hrs

A black bowl filled with Macanese Portuguese chicken curry with dishes of naan and lemon wedges beside it.

Macanese Portuguese-Inspired Chicken Curry

2 hrs 30 mins

Shrimp and chorizo plated in a white bowl, topped with parsley and lemon zest, with grilled lemon halves beside the dish.

Shrimp with Chorizo

30 mins

A bowl of Puerto Rican-style ropa vieja with rice and cilantro on a green mesh serving tray with a linen napkin beside it.

Puerto Rican-Style Ropa Vieja

3 hrs 30 mins

A black bowl filled with roasted delicata squash and kale salad with salad servers resting in it.

Roasted Delicata Squash and Kale Salad

45 mins

Six ground lamb and potato patties on a parchment-lined baking sheet with a fork resting beside them.

Ground Lamb and Potato Patties

2 hrs

A ceramic bowl filled with za'atar cacio e pepe and topped with fresh marjoram leaves.

Zaโ€™atar Cacio e Pepe

35 mins

Pieces of yogurt and spice marinated salmon on a piece of parchment on a baking sheet with cilantro, onion, and lime wedge garnishes on the side.

Yogurt and Spice Marinated Salmon

25 mins

A white plate filled with orange ginger chicken thighs and orange wedges.

Orange Ginger Chicken

2 hrs 10 mins

Four ancho pork and potato tacos topped with cubed pork and potatoes, sliced radish, sour cream, and cilantro.

Ancho Pork and Potato Tacos

45 mins

A steak and arugula salad with pesto vinaigrette in a white bowl, with a wooden board and sliced steak next to it.

Steak and Arugula Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette

25 mins

Grilled peaches with honey and black pepper scattered on a piece of parchment paper.

Grilled Peaches with Honey and Black Pepper

15 mins

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