Chef’s Corner: Jamie and Jayson Poe of Poe & Co.

Poe To Go Deliveries, Private Chefs, Catering, and More from Santa Barbara Couple

Poe & Co. owners Jayson and Jaime Poe will make you gourmet dinner with the help of their nine-month-old son, Henry. They're seen here in one of the new kitchens at the Estancia complex on Upper State Street, where they also host pop-up events. | Credit: Paul Wellman

CURRENT GIGS: Weekly meal delivery service, personal chefs for special events, home cooking lessons and demos, consulting for commercial and residential kitchens, catering, and pop-ups at various Santa Barbara and Ojai locations.

BACKGROUND: Jamie Poe attended The Culinary Institute of America in New York. Upon graduation in 2005, she cut her teeth cooking in lauded New York City kitchens, such as Danny Meyer’s Union Square Café and Gramercy Tavern. As a private chef, Jamie has worked in New York City, the Hamptons, Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, and Santa Barbara.

Jayson Poe graduated from Tulane University and the New England Culinary Institute. He worked under Chef Daniel Boulud at Restaurant Daniel. In Santa Barbara, he was the chef of the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore.

JOINING FORCES: Jamie and Jayson met in 2015 through a mutual friend while both living in Napa Valley. Their relationship blossomed. When they moved down to Santa Barbara and started their family, they realized they could create their own dream business together.

“We’ve both had jobs that make you want to become your own boss,” said Jamie. “But it wasn’t until I was pregnant that we needed to figure out how two chefs can work and have a family.” They launched their meal delivery service, Poe To Go, this spring, blending their love for food and family.

HOW POE TO GO WORKS: “We’re inspired by the simple beauty of eating a nice meal at home,” explained Jamie, who delivers seasonal dinners to customers’ doors every Tuesday in chilled cooler bags. The dinners are packaged in reusable glass Pyrex containers with heating instructions, and those containers are swapped with each weekly delivery. They offer a new variety of meals each week, and customers can choose how many meals they’d like with a choice of sides and kids’ meals as well. Each selection comes with two portions; you pick one entrée and one side for each desired day. The minimum order is $120.

MENU HIGHLIGHTS: “We strive for dishes that are approachable and balanced — think comfort food with a bit of sophistication,” Jamie said. The tender mesquite-grilled tri-tip was given the special produce treatment with its pairing of summer squash salad with pumpkin seeds and blue-cheese butter. The honey-roasted turkey breast, Brussels sprouts, herbed pasta, and mushroom gravy hit the comfort-food sweet spot. The menu is designed to have one chicken, one seafood, one beef, one vegetarian, and one vegan option, and a few gluten-free dishes.

THE FUTURE: The team has more projects in the works, including growing the meal-delivery service and offering more options such as desserts, lunches, and additional delivery days. “We’re excited to see how Santa Barbara’s food scene is evolving,” said Jamie. “We hope to play a small role in the future of how the locals eat.”

See the menu and more info at poe-and-co.com.