Chef JoEllen Hothem is a self-taught chef who loves to explore different cuisines and the many ways food and community enhance health and wellbeing. She combines her love of food with her public speaking and instructional training to help people learn the principles of taste and foundational cooking skills, so they can confidently prepare tasty and healthful meals for themselves, family and friends. 

JoEllen also teaches community outreach cooking classes for Baker Hunt in Covington, and for La Soupe in Ohio. She has a degree in Sociology and spent her full-time career in non-profit management and software implementation and training roles. 

JoEllen feels strongly that food is medicine and loves to help people find tasty and healthful ways to cook and eat. She developed a dementia caregiver cooking class that helps caregivers work together in the kitchen with someone diagnosed with dementia preparing healthy dishes and learning skills that help partners transition through role changes and continue to enjoy time together.