As a child growing up in Saratoga, CA, I developed a passion for culinary arts as I admired the works of famous chefs (such as Jacques Pepin and Julia Child) on television. Despite my love for all things food related, I decided to pursue a degree in Computer Science and put my childhood dreams on hold.
I earned a BS in Computer Science at Santa Clara University. I then worked in corporate finance for the biopharmaceutical industry for 7 years and obtained an MBA from Arizona State University. At last, I reached a point in my life when I realized that passion and career may not necessarily have to be mutually exclusive. I decided to return to what made me most happy, this time as a career. I first staged for Christopher Kostow at Chez TJ in Mountain View, CA, and then studied at the prestigious École Supérieure de Cuisine Française – Ferrandi in Paris. I soon began to find myself working alongside some of the world’s top chefs, including: Hélène Darroze (**Michelin stars), Mauro Colagreco (Mirazur, **Michelin stars), and Jean-François Piège (Les Ambassadeurs, **Michelin stars).
Ironically, I began to develop intolerances to the most basic ingredients in the kitchen! Being especially sensitive to gluten and dairy, I switched to a Paleo/Sugar Free lifestyle which eradicated most of my health problems. I know how difficult and frustrating it can be to plan meals around these intolerances. That’s when the idea for Jöne’s Gelato came into play. I wanted to create something that was not only delicious, but also safe for people with dietary intolerances to consume. By creating Jöne’s Gelato, I devoted my childhood dream toward the most altruistic endeavor that I know of: to allow people happiness without sacrificing their health.