Meet Jodi Abel of Lajollacooks4u in La Jolla

Thanks for sharing your story with us Jodi. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Twelve years ago, my husband surprised me with my first cooking class in Perugia, Italy. I was an avid home cook at the time and loved entertaining, so it was the perfect gift. For two days, I cooked with a woman named Tia in her beautiful home, learning her family’s recipes and experiencing Italian culture. I was so impressed with the entire experience that a few days later — while I was sitting in a cafe in Rome with my husband — I had an epiphany: I, too, could create a similar experience in my home in La Jolla.  

As soon as I returned home from Italy, I read everything I could about California cuisine and then spent months in my kitchen cooking. Not too long afterwards, I hosted my first cooking class with a few of my foodie friends — it was a huge success!  I later launched a website, and, slowly, reservations started trickling in.  As guests left happy over the years, Lajollacooks4u’s five-star ratings and reviews on TripAdvisor grew, and suddenly so did reservations!

I initially started as a tourist attraction for guests visiting San Diego and as one of the only local companies offering hands-on cooking classes and farmers market tours. But, about six years ago, I re-branded myself as a team building and cooking events company. I discovered there is strength in numbers, as it was the same amount of time to shop and prep for 2-4 people as it was for 15-30.

Today, I am one of La Jolla’s top attractions on TripAdvisor! We now regularly host teams of up to 30 people in my beautiful home venue atop Mount Soledad. We are able to accommodate groups larger than 30 in hotels, corporate offices and other venues throughout San Diego.  Being in business now for 12 years, we have hosted Fortune 500 companies from all over the globe, including Google, Amazon, Illumina and ServiceNow, just to name a few. The journey has been absolutely incredible! 

I am also passionate about feeding the hungry in our community, so giving back is very important to me. I am a regular Volunteer Chef at the San Diego Food Bank and Kitchens for Good, two local hunger-relief organizations.  

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As a small local business, it’s always challenging to get the word out about who we are and what we do. We have a small online advertising budget, so most of our outreach is through social media, press releases and blog articles.  

As a small company, all of our employees are part-time contractors. Staffing events, then, can be a challenge. We are always looking for local, talented folks who have big personalities and can help facilitate a team while still having good cooking skills. 

What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I love that we are a local, San Diego-based company that has experienced wonderful growth through our 12 years in business. We are constantly networking with other companies and agencies to grow our brand. What is unique about Lajollacooks4u is that we are not a commercial kitchen, hotel room or restaurant. By doing most of our events in the intimacy of my home venue, we can provide an intimate and warm environment for our groups.  Guests are typically blown away by the view overlooking La Jolla, as this would not be a part of San Diego they would normally be able to see.

We specialize in California cuisine with Mediterranean, Asian and Latin influences and use the freshest and most seasonal ingredients — many of which are grown locally and support our local farm community. 

I am also proud that many of our clients come back for repeat visits!  We are constantly updating our programming and menus to offer a unique and delicious experience. We like to cook elegant, yet simple, recipes so our guests can be inspired to re-create them at home.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
As a young adult, I always loved working with children. I am a teacher by training and have taught special education, religious school, and early childhood education. I am so blessed I can share my passion for cooking through my skills as a teacher. 

Growing up in a small town in Ohio, I always dreamed about coming to California. My husband and I moved here 16 years ago from Dallas, Texas. I pinch myself every day that I now get to live in such a beautiful place!