L'Oca D'Oro
Growing up in Fort Collins, CO, Jess Simpkin fell in love with restaurant work at 15. She always wanted to be a cook, but the intimidation kept her in the front of house for 10 years. After moving to Austin in 2011, she worked as a server at one of the city’s pioneering farm-to-table restaurants, East Side Cafe. That experience sparked her desire to pursue a career cooking local, seasonal food.
Jess graduated from Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in 2013 and began her cooking career in the kitchens of Gardner and Chicon, where she helped guide their transition from a tasting-menu format to shared plates. In 2017, she joined the team at the acclaimed Dai Due, quickly becoming sous chef and deepening her knowledge of regional, seasonal, and low-waste cuisine.
Since 2024, Jess has served as chef de cuisine at L’Oca d’Oro, where she leads menu development and creates playful, well-balanced dishes that highlight the freshest local ingredients.
Jess’ Recipes
