Who’s Jo? The Story Behind “Taste Jo Food”

Hi! My name is Jocette but you can call me “Jo” and I am a food writer with a passion for Turkish cuisine, developed over six years of living in Istanbul and Izmir. However, my curiosity for flavors and culinary traditions extends globally.

Throughout my gastronomy career, I’ve had the privilege of working at Christopher Kimball's Milk Street, where I taught about food alongside culinary greats like Cherie Denham, J. Kenji López-Alt, and Dan Pashman. I’ve also led private, in-person cooking workshops, finding immense joy in empowering home cooks to feel like kitchen rockstars. My hands-on experience extends to working as a chocolatier at Boston’s beloved L.A. Burdick and getting my start in the food world at a local gelato shop in Denver during high school. Being close to food has always been where I feel most alive.

When I’m not guiding folks through the wonders of sautéing and seasoning, I dive into the food and beverage world. From food writing and recipe development to creating content focused on culinary education, I’ve done it all.

You might have come across my work in places like Universal Yums, Tasting Table, Yabangee, and The Preserve Journal, where I dish out insights on global food trends, traditions, and the issues that tie it all together. My heart beats for food justice and bridging cultures through their culinary roots. Oh, and did I mention? I’ve got a Master of Liberal Arts in Gastronomy from Boston University, where I studied everything from the history of food to its sociopolitical impact.

In 2019, I officially became part of a Turkish family, and food quickly became my tool for navigating the culture and building deep, meaningful connections. From rolling up sarma to sharing bowls of keşkek and flipping gözleme on a hot griddle, food continues to be a language of connection and communication when words fail.

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