Award Winning!!

We are so very proud of our award-winning chef! Last week, San Francisco held it's second Gumbo Social competition to find the best Gumbo in town, and our very own Chef Jess walked away with FIRST PLACE honors!! As they say, the gumbo was hot, the competition was tough, and the vibes were unmatched! In honor of black history month, Gumbo Social -a soul-food restaurant in San Francisco--ran their second ever Gumbo Cooking Contest by providing all the chef contestants with a pantry kit of gumbo essentials (celery, onion, bell pepper, flour, oil, chicken, sausage, and more) as well as a $50 stipend to purchase additional ingredients. Gumbo Social also provided cooked rice on the day of the competition--February 15th, 2025, at the Bayview Opera House in San Francisco.

The idea behind the design of the competition is to level the playing field so that the true difference in the winning gumbo is technique and approach. It's exciting to see a competition designed to highlight true talent & capability--so many social media "competitions" are really just popularity contests, or faux "fund raising" events where the "winners" are those who can get the most money out of their constituents. Gumbo Social designed a true cooking competition to bring us all the best Gumbo in the Bay Area!

CHEF JESS'S GUMBO JOURNEY

Chef Jess earned her Southern cooking chops through her family heritage. Her grandfather is from Louisiana, and her grandmother learned to make gumbo from her sister-in-law & mother-in-law--so as the years went on, grandma made gumbo for holidays and family dinners. Subsequently, Jess's father, Chris, went on to make it for his family, even while they lived here in California. Over time, Chris began making a darker roux (a basic thickening agent made from cooking flour and fat together), and shared his family heritage by teaching a young Chef Jess as she grew up.

Chef Jess went on to further develop her gumbo game while attending the CCSF Culinary Arts Program. In a family trip to New Orleans in 2019, they made a point of trying as much gumbo as possible. Chef Jess again returned to NOLA since the pandemic, and singled out her favorite gumbo at Cochon--a popular Cajun restaurant in NOLA. All of these experiences--in addition to her formal training--have contributed to her current Gumbo recipe.

WINNING #1

The competition was friendly, yet fierce, and Chef Jess was up against 13 other chefs--including professional chefs and executive chefs--some were from New Orleans, so reputations were also on the line! All the chefs started with the same base ingredients, and they all cooked their Gumbo at home--so no one could see or judge the gumbos before they were even made or eaten! Chef Jess earned her #1 win through her talent & experience alone--we are so proud of her accomplishment.

Chef Jess winning #1st Place at the Hey Auntie Gumbo Social cooking competition on 2/15/2025

Part of the reasoning for the design of the competition is to help talented chefs realize they can actually earn a living with their talents. Here at San Mateo Supper Club, part of our goal is to strengthen our local food economy by making jobs for local chefs (especially women & minorities), and source great ingredients locally while building community. We are honored to offer you Chef Jess's Award Winning Gumbo this week. You can order it now HERE, and just like we always do, we will bring it right to your doorstep. We are so committed to our craft & take great pride in serving you the best we have to offer every week.

We can't wait to serve you award-winning Gumbo! The best in the Bay Area!