Illustration by Jonny Ruzzo
During the pandemic, Elise Jesse discovered the value of cooking, leading her to share her food online years later. Now fully investing in sharing authentic recipes with her audience, the former sportscaster/podcaster uses her passion to bring people together over delicious meals, knowing that each meal can serve as an opportunity for new, fond memories that can last a lifetime. This led to an opportunity to appear on the most recent season of reality TV series Next Level Chef. We recently talked to her about her experience on the high-stakes cooking show, her love of cooking, and building community on social media.
Why do you enjoy cooking?
I enjoy cooking because it helps me to feel connected to my late grandma, Jan Jesse. She was an avid cook, and some of my fondest childhood memories involve her bringing people together with her delicious meals and desserts. I also love cooking because I am able to turn my creativity all the way up, and I love to explore new flavors and spices and experiment in my own kitchen.
What inspired you to start your cooking career? Are your inspirations different now?
Three months into the pandemic, my husband, Mike, got a job offer from the UConn men’s basketball team. I was the weekend sports anchor in Cincinnati at that time, and while I understood that I would be giving up a career that I loved, sacrificed, and worked hard for, my love for him and our then 2-year-old daughter superseded that. I saw moving to Connecticut as an opportunity to pour myself into our little family. However, that is easier said than done.
Much of my identity was tied to sports broadcasting, and that hit hard after the move. We were in a new place, my husband worked a lot, and we couldn’t go many places due to restrictions at that time. I was beginning to fall into a dark space because I didn’t feel like I was adding enough value to the world. Then I decided that I could either change and do something about it or complain and stay stuck. I chose the former.
The grocery store was one of the few places we could freely go, and I leaned back into my roots of cooking. Being in the kitchen and creating brought me out of an unfamiliar headspace and ultimately led to who I am now. Now, my aspiration is to cook for others and take the stress of preparing a meal off my clients’ hands. Most big life events involve food, and I love helping them create their dream events and dinners through food.
What’s your favorite dish to make? Does this change depending on who you’re serving?
My favorite dish to make would be red wine–braised short ribs with pommes puree. I think the best flavors and meals are built with time, and this is pure comfort on a plate. What I serve heavily depends on the preferences of others. I want the people who eat my food to enjoy things they love, but I always add my own little twist.
What dish would you choose to describe yourself?
I would be a lobster roll. Not the touristy one, but the kind with fat, meaty lobster soaked in butter, and loaded onto a toasted bun, and fresh lemon juice and chives. Nothing fussy, no chaos, just calm execution that hits the spot every time. Have you ever spent a day on the beach and had the opportunity to dive into a good-quality lobster roll? It’s like heaven.
Any advice for people beginning their cooking journey?
When you see a spice or an unfamiliar ingredient on sale that you are unfamiliar with, buy it and taste it. Put on your exploratory hat and look up two to three different recipes that feature the spice, and then once you feel like you know what you’re working with, add your own twists.
What was your time like on Next Level Chef?
My time on Next Level Chef was incredible. We had 30 seconds to choose all of our ingredients and 25 minutes to make a polished, standout dish in kitchens that were completely unfamiliar. The competition was high stakes—one minor mistake could send you home—but it taught me how mentally resilient I am. Even in that stressful environment, my time cooking with Chef [Gordon] Ramsay was slowed down in my memory. If you’ve ever had a coach or boss who believed in you and wanted you to do well, that’s what it felt like cooking with him. He would take the time to help and show me new techniques, and it was wild to watch somebody at the top of their craft firing on all cylinders. I have so much respect for him, and I’m grateful for my time spent with Chef Ramsay, Chef [Richard] Blais, and Chef [Nyesha] Arrington. Each of them is absolutely wonderful in their own way.
Why do you think you were eliminated from the competition?
Because I didn’t add an “out of the box” element. In the elimination cook, I made a medium-rare, butter-basted New York Strip with mashed potatoes, a fresh chimichurri, and pan-seared trumpet mushrooms. The risk was being too much on the classical side. While everything was cooked really well, I lost to Emerson’s bone marrow butter element in the end.
What are the benefits and difficulties associated with running a popular TikTok account?
Honestly, my approach is the same now as it was day one. I truly prop my camera or my phone up and show my audience what I’m making and how I’m making it. My integrity with food means everything to me. I refuse to make something that looks cool and trendy but tastes terrible. I’ve been posting on TikTok and Instagram for two years, and I’ve managed to build a community that trusts me and trusts my recipes. I will not compromise that for virality, and I think they appreciate that about my channel. It can be difficult not to hop on certain trends, but I think it’s important to stay grounded in who I am as a culinary creator.
Does having a background in TV and journalistic writing help you with social media?
Oh, it absolutely does. I spent almost a decade in front of either a live audience or in front of a camera. In that time, I learned how to be authentically myself, and I bring that side to social media. I picture my followers as people who love to entertain. They’re busy, running low on time, but want to put something delicious and beautiful on their tables, and that’s who I picture when I’m filming a video.
What do you plan to do next?
I am taking my cooking and presentation skills into the private chef arena. My greatest joy is to collaborate and create beautiful events and bring people together over a delicious meal. I truly believe that is my purpose in life.
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