BIO :

Professional Home Economist Jennifer MacKenzie grew up with a love of food and good nutrition. As she was completing high school she decided to turn her hobby of cooking into her profession. She completed her degree, a Bachelor of Science in Foods and Nutrition, at Brescia College at the University of Western Ontario and worked in restaurant and hotel kitchens during school breaks to gain practical cooking experience. Upon graduation, Jennifer spent more than five years as a home economist in the Canadian Living magazine test kitchen.


In 1999 Jennifer started her own food consulting business, FOODWORX, and is now a freelance writer, recipe developer, tester and editor, cooking instructor, spokesperson and special events coordinator. She shares her passion for delicious, easy-to-make, nutritious food in publications such as the LCBO’s Food & Drink magazine and other national and local publications. Jennifer has been the official Milk Calendar recipe developer for the past several years. She has developed 27 new delicious and nutritious recipes for the 2010 Milk Calendar. Jennifer has written for several national magazines, has tested and recipe-edited over eighty cookbooks and taught cooking classes across Canada. She can frequently be seen cooking on NewsWatch @ 5:30 on CHEX Television in Peterborough and has made appearances on national and provincial television programs, as well as radio.


Jennifer’s first cookbook, the Complete Curry Cookbook (Robert Rose), co-authored with Byron Ayanoglu, was released in March 2008. The Dehydrator Bible (Robert Rose), co-authored with Jay Nutt and Don Mercer was released in Spring 2009. Her first solo cookbook, The Complete Book of Pickling (Robert Rose), released in Spring 2009, quickly became a best seller and garnered media attention across North America including an appearance on Canada AM and mentions in Family Circle magazine, the Chicago Tribune and the Houston Chronicle (see NEWS for more). Her two newest books were released in Spring 2010: The Complete Trail Food Cookbook, co-authored with Jay Nutt and Don Mercer and The Complete Root Cellar Book, co-authored with Steve Maxwell (both Robert Rose).


In December 2005, Jennifer, along with her husband, Chef Jay Nutt, opened Nuttshell Next Door Café, where there is a friendly, neighbourhood atmosphere serving fresh breakfast and lunch fare and baked goods – all made from scratch – and specialty coffees and teas. It is home to the best verandah in town and a wonderful garden.


Jennifer keeps active professionally as a member of Ontario Home Economists in Business and is on the Communications Committee for the Ontario Home Economics Association. Jennifer was the recipient of the 2008 OHEA President’s Distinguished Service Award. In her spare time, Jennifer gets involved in fundraisers for The James Fund for Neuroblastoma Research www.jamesfund.ca and other community events.


Jennifer keeps fit with yoga, walking and lifting bags and bags of groceries. She is a passionate knitter, a novice at crochet and loves to dabble in anything crafty. Jennifer and Jay along with their dogs Snoopy and Daisy make their home in Buckhorn, Ont. They live on a little piece of Kawartha waterfront where they skate in winter, paddle their canoe and kayaks in summer and grow fruits, vegetables and herbs to make into delicious dishes to share with family and friends.