Here at Sessions, Jimmy has what we all affectionately (or jealously) refer to as the best job in the world. Jimmy spends his time obsessively scouting for the best talent in food, which means he spends most of his time eating. Trained as a chef and also the most enthusiastic man you'll ever meet, there's no better person for the job than Jimmy. We sat down with him to talk about what it means to be a food scout and what led him to this role at Sessions.
So, tell us about your job as Lead Food Scout.
The team at Sessions like to believe all I do is eat and flirt for a living. And while there is a lot of that, I think relationship building is the thing I like most.
I'm very privileged to be able to fanboy around some of the biggest chefs in the world, but I'm just as privileged to be speaking to an auntie in a Filipino eatery or a Ukrainian Babushka teach me how to make vareniki. Those are the interactions I value the most.
Each interaction is like an episode of Bourdain. If everyone took an interest in people and was sitting down and having a meal and a drink with them, the world would be a better place.
Can you explain why we call ourselves the record label for food?
I think this is super important because we're trying to provide these talented people with audiences they may otherwise not have access to. I always loved to be the guy who had the album first and sharing it with my friends. That was my thing when I was young. I used to hunt down albums, develop an obsession with them, copy them - in those days, you could copy them - and give out copies to friends.
I think my job now is the same thing. I really love discovering new concepts and helping other people discover them.
What advice do you have for chefs?
Stay authentic to your experience. Assess the landscape both locally and internationally. Take an interest in what other people are doing and reach out to them - connect, ask for advice. Tell people you think they're great, champion them.
And that's a wrap!
Meet Jimmy and see him answer these questions on video over on our instagram.
Want to enjoy the fruits of Jimmy's labour?
Discover the talent he's added to our portfolio and where you can get their food delivered
