Dinners built around what the market gives up that morning, cooked in your kitchen, served at your table, from Buckhead to Blue Ridge to Asheville.
Jackson Locklear has spent the better part of two decades cooking in kitchens most people only read about, and stealing something from every one of them.
He got his start on Long Island, coming up under Chef James Gee across Cittanuova, East Hampton Point, and The 1770 House, three very different rooms under one roof, which meant learning to cook a casual Italian lunch and a formal tasting menu in the same week. It's also where he picked up the parts of the business nobody teaches in culinary school: running a bar program, planning events, even directing social media, because in a small operation everybody wears a few hats.
From there he headed west, trading the Hamptons for altitude as executive chef of Giuseppe's and Bon Vivant at Telluride Ski and Golf Resort. Cooking on a mountain comes with its own logistics: on slope dining, weather nobody can control, and a season that ends whether the snow does or not. He was the featured chef for the Washington Pear Growers' Dinner, and one winter his recipes even made it onto the Today Show, which is a strange thing to explain to a table of guests who saw you on television that morning.
Then came South Beach, and a call to help open The Bazaar by José Andrés, working under the Think Food Group out of D.C. It's the kind of kitchen that reorders your sense of what food can be, playful, technical, a little theatrical, and Jackson helped stand the whole thing up from the ground floor, building the systems and training the team that would carry it long after opening week.
Along the way he's staged in Michelin kitchens, consulted on more than a dozen restaurant openings around the country, and mentored plenty of cooks who've gone on to run kitchens of their own. These days all of that shows up in a different form, based in Atlanta and traveling across the Southeast: private dinners, small events, weekly meal prep, and menus built around whoever's sitting at the table, cooked with the same seriousness he'd bring to any dining room he's ever run.
"The entire experience was over the top (in a great way). Chef Jackson exceeded all expectations and provided wonderful dinner conversation while prepping and cooking. Loved it so much we decided to book him again for our friend's retirement dinner. Highly recommend, you'll be blown away by the food and service."
Joseph Moon"The food was phenomenal, the service was impeccable, and the entire evening exceeded our expectations. Five stars across the board."
Jessica Gustin"If at some point an opportunity arises to taste his she-crab soup and collard greens, take it. Absolutely!"
Kathy Goral"Chef Jackson was a true pro. He really made the entire night a huge success for us all."
Joe Dean"Creative, beautiful and delicious. Our group of 15 women were all impressed."
Karen Dee"An unforgettable night catching up in the comfort of home, fed with the finest cuisine and fresh ingredients."
Victor Ngai"The food was amazing, the presentation top notch. I cannot recommend Chef Jackson enough."
Judd Peak"The dishes were tasty, presented beautifully, and narrated well throughout the evening."
Diana Voncina
Based in Atlanta, Jackson cooks in homes, cabins, lake houses, and vacation rentals across six regions of the Southeast.
Buckhead · Midtown · Alpharetta · Milton · Roswell · Sandy Springs · Marietta · Decatur · Peachtree City
Blue Ridge · Ellijay · Dahlonega · Helen · Lake Lanier · Lake Burton · Lake Rabun · Big Canoe
Chattanooga · Nashville · Knoxville · Gatlinburg · Pigeon Forge
Asheville · Highlands · Cashiers · Lake Lure · Charlotte
Greenville · Lake Keowee · Charleston · Hilton Head
Birmingham · Huntsville · Lake Martin · Orange Beach
Don't see your town? If there's a kitchen, Jackson can probably get there. Just ask.
Jackson is based in the Atlanta area and cooks throughout metro Atlanta and North Georgia, including Blue Ridge, Ellijay, Dahlonega, and Lake Lanier. He also travels for dinners and events in Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Alabama, including Chattanooga, Nashville, Asheville, Highlands, Cashiers, Greenville, Charleston, and Birmingham.
Jackson offers private in-home dinners, events and celebrations, and weekly meal prep. He shops, cooks in your kitchen, serves, and cleans up, with menus built around the season and your guests.
Yes. Weekly meal prep includes three to five meals per person, built on the principles of Dr. Mark Hyman's Young Forever, portioned, labeled, and delivered once a week. Pricing starts at $100 per person per week.
Yes. Travel is available for mountain cabins, lake houses, and vacation rentals across North Georgia, the Smoky Mountains, the North Carolina mountains, and beyond.
Every menu is built around the people at the table. Share allergies and dietary needs when you inquire, and the menu is planned around them from the start.
Book through Jackson's profile on Food Fire + Knives or email chefjblocklear@gmail.com with your date, location, and number of guests.
Tell Jackson a little about the occasion, and he will follow up with menu ideas and availability.