What Makes You Happy?

Beth Jackson and Erin Carrera met in 1990 while working to open a downtown gourmet restaurant in Providence, Rhode Island.  They immediately became close friends.  Over the years, each pursued careers, marriages and became mothers.  While discussing the difficulties of juggling work and motherhood, Erin and Beth decided to start their own business.  After much thought, they realized their best skill was cooking!  But what?  

They knew that any business venture had to fulfill certain qualities for them.  It had to be family-friendly, creative, and still manageable.  When they discovered the emerging industry of personal cheffing, they realized the value that this service could provide to busy families.  

Erin is a graduate of Boston University with a degree in English.  Upon relocating to Providence with her husband in 1990, the best paying and most immediate job she could find was quickly acquired (it was waitressing of course).  Working in restaurants and catering for companies that served excellent food taught her an appreciation for creative, healthy, nutritious and delicious cuisine.

A sales position for a fresh dessert company followed.  Erin was selling and learning to prepare top-quality gourmet pastries and desserts, offering her an open invitation to some of the best restaurants, hotels and caterers in all of New England.  During her four years with the company, she developed her sales and marketing skills and gained some of the best known executive chefs in the country as clients.  And, she gained more insight and education on how to utilize the freshest and best quality ingredients in all of her cooking.

A few years and three children later, like most moms, Erin cooks constantly, but she also loves it.  She finds great satisfaction in cooking healthy, hearty, interesting and scrumptious meals for her family and friends.  

James Noonan is a new addition, and great old friend of Beth and Erin who has joined the Chef du Jour team as of Beth’s move to Harrisburg, PA in August 2007.  Jim and Erin have been working together on and off in restaurant projects for over 20 years!  

Jim is a seasoned veteran of all things food service.  His customer service, presentation and culinary skills have been perfected through years of experience in his own and other’s restaurants and catering companies of all types.  He has lived and worked in Manhattan for many years, but now calls his 1800’s farmhouse and gardens in the country, home and heaven.  His aesthetic sense and style offer the business and clients of Chef du Jour beautiful and fabulous floral and decorative displays for all types of parties and themes.  His old-fashioned grace delights clients and guests, and creates a confidence in the host for a smooth event.

Erin and Jim are happily dedicated to the concept of each party being about “the food and the people.”   They spend a great deal of time organizing and planning all of the little details that ensure the enjoyment of both, so that you can take the time to do what makes you happy.