Meet Jackie/J | Food Enthusiast

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

Hi Jackie/J, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
This is an easy one. I love to eat of course but I have no idea how to cook. I remember when I was dating my bf, now husband my southern grandfather was trying to teach me how to make gravy from scratch and it was was a disaster. I’ve always loved eating and eating out.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

I stared a food page on Instagram called Jackie’s Food Jaunts. It embodies me. If I didn’t have this IG I would still jaunt around because it’s what I enjoy. I tend to focus on local mom and pops especially after how hard they’ve been hit after the pandemic.I alway bring my honest thoughts as a guide.  I loathe social media especially tik tok and how it has oversaturated food scene. Everything is “ohh ahh” People will flock to a neon light in a restaurant before doing their due diligence to ensure the food is good.

I want to bring back the authenticity in the food world.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This is so hard because people come to me now an ask for recs and say “Sorry I can’t help you” It’s because my brain is SO FULL of jaunts that I can only remember a few. Even if a place was fantastic it’s hard to really keep all of that in your internal bank. I have lists on top of lists in my phone and excel files of places all over the city.

But when family does come in from out of down I do make itineraries. I must have a plan. It’s the full time admin in me.

My fav food ever is pizza and shouts to Wheated in Ditmas Park and Lucia Pizza Sheepshead Bay, Birdies Hot Chicken in Williamsburg. Doc’s Cake Shop and Stuy Burgers in Bed Stuy, Mighty Quinn BBQ in various locations and Queens Bully in Forest Hills, Queenw are just a few I can think of at the top of my head. Oh and Taco Mahal in Manhattan. Last but never ever let is the beloved Nathans Famous also in Coney Island.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Def goes to my husband Steve for allowing me to spend, spend, spend. None of my food is comped so I have to be careful where I go and what I order because if its bad the onus is on me and no one likes their money wasted.

Website: https://www.jackiesfoodjaunts.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackies_food_jaunts/?hl=en

Image Credits
All my husband or daughters. No one else