Jessica Bright is a food and nutrition educator and trained chef, whose roots go back to a small farm in North Carolina, where she grew up learning about the land and the goodness that comes from it. As a teen-ager, she worked in her father’s seafood market, doing a bit of everything – from cleaning fish to negotiating with the wholesalers.

    During her college years at Florida State University, Bright served on the catering staff for the university’s president and was recruited by Walt Disney World, where she earned a “Ducktorate” degree and worked as a culinary assistant and later in guest and VIP relations. More important, there she learned the Disney brand of hospitality, which she has folded into everything she does today.

    Bright also has worked as a personal chef, as an executive chef for First Coast Supply, and as a product spokesperson for General Electric appliances. Additionally, she is a certified Master Food and Nutrition Educator through the University of Florida and the Duval County (Florida) Extension Service, and she is an active volunteer in the community. In December 2009, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist recognized her efforts for adoption awareness with the Point of Light Award (see link below).

    During the last few years, Bright has established a local following in Jacksonville, Fla., through her regular Tuesday morning segment on 88.1/WCRJ (The Promise), local television appearances, her speaking engagements, cooking classes and popular children’s summer camp. She is the featured chef in the upcoming book Fat Chance by Jacksonville native Julie Hadden, a Season 4 finalist on NBC’s The Biggest Loser.  In the book, the recipes that Bright created are healthy alternatives to Hadden’s favorite foods.

    Additionally, Jessica Bright’s recipes are featured in U.S. Olympian Shannon Miller’s new Healthy & Balanced Pregnancy Cookbook.  Learn more with the links below.