Meet Jessica

Welcome to The Novice Chef, where you can expect tried and true, delectable everyday recipes that your entire family will love! While it all started back in 2008 with just me, Jessica, we are now a small family team that works together to keep new high quality recipes coming your way.

My name is Jessica Segarra and I’m a home cook from Texas who’s now thriving in her Florida kitchen. I grew up in a family that always cooked and rarely ate out. My wonderful mom had dinner on the table every day with a homemade dessert almost every weekend. Food is a passion and I’ve taken cooking classes both with local chefs at their restaurants, at Sur La Table, and even worked as a prep-line cook in my early 20’s. I also taught cooking classes in Tampa, Florida until I had my girls in 2014.

I’m a wife to Jorge, mama to twins Ellie & Lyla and my son Milo. My kids are my life and I love that all three of my kids share a love of cooking – and eating – with me. 

Hi there, I’m Jorge Segarra. I was born in Puerto Rico and moved stateside when I was in elementary school. I grew up with three siblings and a strong single mom. Growing up, food was a major part of our day to day life. From my Abuela’s Tostones, to my Mom’s Arroz Con Gandules and Pernil. As an an adult, I took cooking and wine tasting classes at Syracuse University. I learned basic chef skills, wine pairings, and how to cook everything from pastas and sauces to breads from scratch. 

I don’t get back to the island as often as I would like, so food has become the easiest way to get that taste of home. I’m a former IT professional who retired early to be a full-time stay-at-home dad and to share my Puerto Rican recipes. Thanks to my wife’s amazing platform, I’m hoping I can share family’s love and food with everyone!