meet the chef

Jesa Henneberry, Executive Chef and Co-Owner of Maize, is a Midwest native and NYC-trained chef with over a decade of high-profile culinary consulting and private chef experience. She gained national recognition for her work with several acclaimed New York City restaurants and has helped launch a variety of innovative culinary concepts across the city. A Chopped champion on Food Network, Jesa is known for bold, inclusive menus that embrace global flavors with a health-forward approach.

Her path to the kitchen was anything but traditional. Originally studying fashion design at FIT, Jesa spent years immersed in New York’s style and nightlife scene before discovering food as her true artistic medium. Her journey was shaped by a personal transformation through wellness and a deep-rooted curiosity about global cuisine. After graduating from a health-supportive culinary program, she brought a designer’s eye for texture, balance, and storytelling into every dish she created.

At Maize Cocina & Cocktails, Jesa blends her Midwestern upbringing with a global palate and an abiding love for Mexican cuisine. Her cooking is emotional, expressive, and driven by both tradition and fearless creativity — from rich Oaxacan moles to reimagined street food classics. Guided by approachability, bold flavor, and play, her vision for Maize is grounded in hospitality, inclusivity, and curiosity — inviting guests to explore, connect, and experience something unexpected.

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