Jesse Cool

Ambassador

About Me

Jesse Ziff Cool has been dedicated to sustainable agriculture and cuisine for over 4 decades as a writer, restaurateur, spokesperson and consultant for eco-conscious food service. Jesse is the author of seven cookbooks and through the years has written for dozens of publications.

She founded five restaurants, starting in 1976 with the first organic restaurant in the country, Late for the Train and currently operates the legendary 40 Flea St. Cafe in Menlo Park (1980) and Cantors Arts at Stanford University (2000).

Cool’s current focus is directed towards equality and justice for restaurant workers. During the recent Pandemic, she implemented an innovative way of fair wage for all hourly workers in her restaurants called Heart of House. All hourly workers including dishwashers, cooks, servers, bussers and bar tenders are respectfully paid an equal part of the tip pool. This revolutionary direction has eliminateed a formerly dysfunctional and inequitable pay disparity between the FOH and BOH.

Cool continues to work at her restaurants supported by an amazing venerable staff. She also spends time hiking, gardening, eating and drinking as much as possible with her family and friends.