We had the good fortune of connecting with Jackie Carnesi and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jackie, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I was born and raised in South Texas, on the border of Mexico, and on the Gulf Coast. The city I’m from, Brownsville, is predominately Latino, so between the demographic and the geography, I learned a lot about Mexican cuisine and seafood growing up. My mom, Wilma, a beautiful woman from rural Tennessee, was a phenomenal cook that frequently involved me in the cooking process. She often made biscuits and muffins before I went to school in the morning. Not sure where she found the energy to cook like that on top of working a full time job and being a mom, but I guess that’s where I get my work ethic from.
So I exist somewhere between the crossroads of Mexican, Tex-Mex and Southern cuisines, which is really, a quite lovely place to be.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have been cooking professionally for about 13 years now. I decided I absolutely needed to cook in New York City, and no where else, after graduating from culinary school. I’ve worked under a number of really prestigious chefs, including Alex Stupak, Chris Cipollone, and Carlo Mirarchi. I’ve been very fortunate to have worked with each of them and to have learned an array of techniques in various cuisines. I think what sets me apart from others is that I think it’s so important to have fun in what we are doing. So frequently, cooking is taken very seriously, and the whimsy and excitement that come from cooking are really the best parts about it for me.
Aside from trying to progress away from rigid and toxic kitchen environments, I think remembering that it’s just food is a necessary exercise in humility.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love playing host to out of town friends, mostly because it gives me a chance to do things that I’ve been putting off and showing off the places I’ve vetted as being my personal favorites. No question, we are starting out the day at La Cantine for coffee and a cute, rose-shaped pastry followed by Baby Blue’s Luncheonette and sharing The Hits plate. Baby Blue’s and La Cantine are easily top 5 restaurants in New York for me…both delicious, affordable, and super cute design to top it off.
All visiting guests are encouraged to wear sensible shoes because, make no mistake, we are about to do more walking than they’ve probably done in the last 365 combined, an aggressive amount even by a New Yorker’s standards. But that’s how it be here. Throughout the week, we are hitting up the High Line, Battery Park (Hey, Liberty, girl!), the Brooklyn Bridge, Domino Park, The Met, the Guggenheim, the Museum of Natural History. We’re sitting in the sun in Central Park and the Rockaways, maybe in the same day…who knows.

For the full and exhaustive New York experience, we will also be going out at night. After extensive and soul-satisfying dinners at Thai Diner, Bonnie’s, Via Carota, Francie, and Keen’s, we are going OUT OUT. At this point your guest will be pretty sure they’re too full to go out, but you tell them to dig deep because you HAVE to try the jungle bird at Maison Premiere. After cocktails at Palmetto, Bemelmen’s, and Attoboy, we’re hitting up Night Moves and Good Room to get some late night cardio in.
End Scene.
At this point, if said visitor is still up to do more activity, you haven’t done your job correctly.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shout out to my boss and friend, Michelle Lobo, who continuously puts our staff, the environment and all others before herself. She is an inspiration in the acts of empathy and active kindness she does on the daily. She has been an incredible support in my life, and for that I am extremely thankful. Shoutout to my son Hunter who is the most fun little animal I’ve ever encountered, and has helped me achieve a level of endurance I never thought was possible.
Shoutout to the entire Nura Team, especially my chefs Tajeh and Sam, who frequently motivate me and inspire me, and make me laugh, a lot.

Website: www.nurabk.com

Instagram: killerjackalope

Image Credits
All photos taken by Catherine Dzilenski (@cathdiz)

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