Hire the Best Cooks in California

I help startups and food brands bridge the gap between vision and execution. With a background spanning operations, finance, investor relations, culinary expertise, and writing, I bring a multidimensional approach to building and scaling businesses. Over the past six years, I launched and helped grow a consumer packaged food brand with a thriving subscription base, a strong retail presence, and established partnerships with prominent grocery stores and restaurants. From permits and product labeling to sales processes and order workflows, I understand the details that turn an idea into a functioning business. My efforts led to a 139% increase in wholesale sales and a 340% rise in new accounts. Meanwhile, strategic partnerships led to a 27% reduction in shipping expenses and a 30% decrease in raw food costs. Alongside operations and scaling, I bring over 11 years of experience as a plant-based chef, with expertise in disease-reversal cooking, raw foods, desserts, and commercial production. My work encompasses recipe development, product testing, nutrition coaching, menu curation, and culinary instruction, providing a unique insight into product innovation and culinary consulting. In addition, I’m a published food and travel blogger with 13+ years of SEO experience. I specialize in writing blogs and articles that rank while sounding human — including editing and humanizing AI-generated drafts. My work combines storytelling, cultural insight, and technical SEO to deliver content that connects with readers and performs in search. Think of me as your go-to problem solver. Whether it’s strategy, systems, or creative development, I bring the expertise, energy, and follow-through to help your venture succeed. Since I’m new to Upwork, I’m happy to provide professional references upon request.

I've been in the Los Angeles food service industry for over 20 years. I've enjoyed my time creating dishes and managing kitchen and service teams. Now I want to help you succeed. Thriving in the world of food and serving the public is a balancing act. Labor codes, health codes, OSHA, training programs, when do you get to create tasty food? Throw in the pandemic and, yikes. That's where I come in. I'm the weird kitchen nerd who also loves diving into OSHA regulations, standardizing recipes, and other tasks that keep you tied to a desk. I'll take care of updating your yield percentages, first aid safety procedures, and implementing new health code regulations into your training materials. Opening a new restaurant and need training materials? I can help you build manuals that your team will actually use. Because you're busy, here's a quick list of my qualifications: -Experience in various food service styles: fine dining, upscale casual, quick-service -Recipes published in several cookbooks and other periodicals -Kitchen and front of house management -Certified Food Protection Manager -Built OSHA mandated Injury and Illness Programs, including COVID Protection -Manual copywriting and proofreading including safety, team building, service, operations, labor management -Recipe standardization -Copywriting menu descriptions, newsletters, website copy -Recipe/inventory/nutritional information platforms (Meez, Craftable, ChefTec) My priorities for my clients: -Quick turnaround without compromising quality. -Open communication, based on your needs. -Positive response to feedback: this is your project. -A respectful and fruitful working relationship. I've been an asset for other successful food service entrepreneurs, let's discuss how I can help your project come to fruition.

I’m a chef, writer, recipe developer, photographer and content creator specializing in wellness-driven food, sustainable living, and soulful storytelling. I bring years of hands-on experience in healthy recipe creation, holistic food photography, and writing that inspires connection. From zero-waste kitchen tips to nourishing menus designed for vibrant living. Whether you're a health-conscious brand, a wellness publication, or an entrepreneur launching your first cookbook or blog, I can help bring your vision to life with thoughtful, high-quality content. I support clients with: - Whole food recipe development (gluten-free, dairy-free, plant-forward, ancestral, zero-waste, and more) - Food/ Health/ Wellness/ Sustainability copywriting and brand storytelling - SEO-optimized content for food blogs, health brands, or lifestyle/ luxury publications - Colorful food photography and styling that evokes feeling and flavor - Educational or editorial content on mindful eating, seasonal cooking, or sustainability I believe food is medicine, and every photo, recipe, or word should nourish and entice the five senses. I work closely with clients to understand their mission and voice, delivering content that’s aligned, on time, and from the heart. Open communication, creative collaboration, and shared values are at the center of every project I take on. I include edits and feedback rounds in my pricing, so you can rest easy knowing we’ll get it just right. I’d love to help tell your story, celebrate your values, and build something beautiful together. Let’s connect.

I am a seasoned culinary professional with 27 years of extensive experience in the food and beverage sector for luxury hotels, big tech, restaurants, and country clubs. I am skilled at food costing, recipe development, menu creation and development, pre-opening, recruiting. Born in Puerto Rico, I have managed high-profile hotels, restaurants and exclusive country clubs in Miami, the Bahamas, The Bay Area, and Austin. I have also ventured into the tech industry, bringing my expertise to the realm of food service for BIG tech and serving over 5,000 clientele for all meals every day. Drawing on my years of experience in managing and optimizing food and beverage operations, I have brought innovative solutions that enhance efficiency, customer experiences, and profitability. I bring my highly positive energy and upbeat nature into every project I am on and inspire those around me by fostering a collaborative and productive environment.

Welcome to my Upwork Profile I began my journey as a freelance graphic design in 2005. I specialize in print art, event posters, logo/branding creation, T-shirt design and illustration.  My artistic process is rooted in a passion focusing on the harmony between art and design. My mission is to provide aesthetically pleasing and functional creations that meet the unique needs of each client. With a keen understanding of your vision, whether it's a rough idea or polished plan, I’m dedicated to collaborating within your budget and timeline, all while striving to build lasting relationships. I believe your goals are my goals—after all, your identity is intertwined with my own.  Just as in life, art and design are puzzles that challenge us to explore and seek out the true pieces to fit together. Each project is an opportunity to discover how different elements can harmonize, creating a beautiful and cohesive whole. In this journey of creativity, we find meaning and connection, allowing our visions to come to life. Together, let’s piece together your unique story through art and design. Thank you for taking the moment to read my profile.

Hey, I’m JR. I have been helping public figures and businesses win with their websites for over 15 years. I am driven by overdelivering and putting the magic touches that turn an average website into an irresistible online experience for users that drives sales and bookings. I build fast, SEO-smart WordPress sites that turn clicks into customers. Elementor’s been my go-to since 2016, but I’m just as comfortable with Divi, Bricks, Oxygen, or straight-up custom code. Whatever gets the job done right. How it usually goes wrong (and why it won’t with me) Missed deadlines → I block my calendar and over-communicate. Ugly or slow sites → I obsess over Core Web Vitals and real-user feel. “It looks nice but does nothing” → Every pixel ties back to a goal we agreed on before I write line one. My Process: 1. I shut up and listen, firing off quick clarifying questions until I've got your goals nailed down and we've sketched out how to make it real. (Bonus: My deep experience in driving online sales and ranking in tough niches means I spot opportunities you might not even know to ask for.) 2. I send you a proposed plan: timeline, milestones, deliverables. You tweak it, we lock it in. 3. I build, and send you regular updates, as well as implement your ideas and changes as you see the pages come together. I also don't stop until you are 100% happy with your website, it just feels like you and your brand - AND converts! I follow design principles that ensure we build a winner. 4. Your site not only looks good, but is lighting fast, ranks on Google and gets featured in AI search results (which is blowing up fast), and it converts visitors into customers. 5. Most clients keep me on speed-dial with an active hourly contract for whenever they need anything else done on the site or in case of emergencies. That is why you see so many long-term contracts in my history. I am proud of this. Quick Reviews: “JR’s so fast I think he reads minds. Another great job—we’re over the moon.” — John D. “Jeremiah tackled a nightmare WP migration like it was nothing. Saved us weeks and a pile of cash.” — Mike M., E-commerce Owner (Full trail of client wins in my reviews—go peek.) Here's my toolbox of boring tools I use to create exquisite results... • 20+ years: PHP, JS, HTML/CSS, WordPress full-stack. • Speed: lazy-load, CDN, caching, database and server optimizations, and image wizardry. • SEO: schema, semantic markup, page-speed hacks, SEO silo technique, and others. • Conversions: heat-map informed CTAs, trust signals, micro-copy that sells without feeling obnoxious. • I know computer science all the way from the 1's and 0's up to the text you are reading off of your screen right now, if you have an idea - I can build it for you. Not fully convinced? That's cool - here's some things that I think will show you why I am a no-brainer hire... What you gain by working with me vs the other dude who outsources his work to India... • A site that feels like your brand, not a template with your logo slapped on. • No viruses or backdoors installed to steal your user's data. • No surprise invoices or “I thought you were doing X.” • A launch that actually moves the needle—most clients see 20-30% more conversions inside 60 days. • My cell number for the random 2 a.m. edit ideas (yes, I answer your texts - although it will probably be the next morning lol). • I go the extra mile with all that I do and act with integrity, I want you to be successful, and work to ensure that you are. Sound like the opposite of your last dev nightmare? Shoot me a quick message—tell me the one thing your current site is failing at. I’ll tell you exactly how we fix it (and how long it’ll take). Looking forward to working with you, - JR