About

Welcome

Hi, I’m Jenn Segal, and welcome to Once Upon a Chef!

Here, I share tested and perfected recipes that make everyday cooking enjoyable and stress-free. The name Once Upon a Chef reflects my past life as a professionally-trained chef and my years working in the restaurant industry.

When I started a family, I traded in the tall hat, white coat, and long hours for the joys (and challenges!) of home cooking. As I cooked for my own family, I discovered a new passion for creating delicious, approachable recipes that bring joy to everyday meals, and that’s how Once Upon a Chef was born. What began with a small readership—mostly my mom, sister, friends, and neighbors—has since grown into a vibrant community of home cooks with millions of visitors each month.

jenn segal in her kitchen
Photo by Helen Don
Collage of cherry pie recipe steps

What You’ll Find Here

The recipes on this site reflect my life: as a mom, I need easy meals that the whole family will enjoy, but the chef in me needs to eat too!

Here, you’ll find everything you need to succeed in the kitchen, including foolproof recipes, detailed step-by-step photos, ingredient, equipment, and pairing recommendations, pro tips from my years in the restaurant business, and video tutorials.

You’ll also find an active comment section with each recipe where I personally answer your cooking questions.

FAQs

Do you have professional training?

Yes, I’m a graduate of L’Academie de Cuisine. I also worked in both the front and back of the house in the restaurant industry before starting a family and this website. If you’d like to know more about my journey from professional cook to recipe developer, you can read my story here.

Do you have any cookbooks?

Yes! You can read more about them on my cookbook page.

Where do you get your recipes?

I develop most of my own recipes. Occasionally, I adapt recipes from other sources or share favorites from my cookbook collection. Every recipe on this site has been tested multiple times and perfected in my home kitchen.

How can I subscribe to Once Upon a Chef?

Easy! Submit your email in the subscription box below, and you’ll receive my newsletter with new and seasonal recipes twice a week. Bonus: It’s free!

How can I contact you?

For specific recipe questions, leave a comment on the recipe post. For general inquiries, use the contact form at the bottom of each page or email me directly at jennifer@onceuponachef.com. I do my best to respond within a day or two.

Do you teach cooking classes?

Sorry, at present, I do not.

Can I republish your recipes on my blog?

Sure! Please just provide proper attribution and link back to the original recipe.

Once Upon a Chef cookbooks