Today we’d like to introduce you to Jackie Johnson Mcbride
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I wanted to be a meteorologist ever since I was little. I never wanted to be on TV, I was too shy. I was just obsessed with the weather. As a kid, I was reading weather books instead of children’s books, and for my 5th grade science project I set up an entire weather center in my backyard and tracked the weather for a month. I studied meteorology at the University of South Alabama and then got my degree in my broadcast journalism in Middle Tennessee. I got my first weather reporter job in Tallahassee, Florida making $19,000 a year (!) as the weekend meteorologist.
But after that my career quickly skyrocketed. I worked as the main morning weather anchor for WSVN in Miami, and had multiple offers in NYC before I finally took a job in LA and had a contract to do fill-in weather at the network for CBS News. When I had my daughter in 2018, I decided to leave newscasting and focus on being a mom, but that’s also when my second life as a chef began. My mom always had a garden, made dinner at least five nights a week, and made sure family dinners were a priority. So when it came time to feed my family, focusing on healthy seasonal foods just made sense.
Then, I started to notice that what I decided to make each night depended on the weather that day. I joked that the two most frequent questions I’ve had my whole life have been “What’s the weather?” and “What’s for dinner?” Over the next few years, I launched my blog and started sharing flavorful, healthy, weather-influenced recipes on social media as The Weather Chef [site link: https://theweatherchef.com]. Starting a second career is always a challenge, but it’s also a common experience for a lot of moms who want to pursue what they love while balancing work with time for their families.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Any career pivot is always a little bit challenging, but I don’t miss the long days at the studio. Spending time with my kids, and getting to harvest vegetables and herbs from my garden and cooking at my home in Montecito is definitely the best part of my day. Figuring out how to get a new recipe just right is always a welcome puzzle, and it’s something I really enjoy. The only real struggle I’ve faced so far is figuring out my relationship with social media, which is such a great tool for spreading the word about a new project but can be intimidating! Even if you’ve been on TV, social media is different because it feels more up close and personal with people responding. But I’m working through my hesitation and beginning to share more recipes and behind-the-scenes content about my cooking, gardening, and home life.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m proud of the fact that I’ve found a way to incorporate my tenure as a weather reporter into a new venture. My career and my love for meteorology has always been a huge part of my identity, and so has my love for cooking, which means being able to combine them is a dream come true. Focusing on meteorology comes naturally to me, and I love connecting it to how we crave certain food depending on the weather and seasons. That’s something that a lot of chefs have come to in a broader way, but I get really specific about which recipes work for rain, cold, sun or storms. I’m also proud of the fact that this career sprang out of my desire to feed my family and friends, which feels really intuitive.
Also, I absolutely love growing my own garden! I wish more people knew how accessible growing your own fruits, vegetables and herbs really can be—especially in Southern California. The people who will be drawn to my recipes and my home and gardening content are those who want to eat flavorful, healthy meals, and learn how to be more in tune with how eating seasonally can impact their health and happiness.
Eating well is part of living well, and so is creating a peaceful home. As the world feels increasingly chaotic, I’ve been even more drawn to interior decorating. Creating a soothing aesthetic transforms my home into a place where my family and I can recharge. I’m the most comfortable and at home in nature, so I bring a lot of natural elements into my design. I’m very involved with interiors and home styling as well as cooking—which is why I love setting the table every night—but I think the two go hand-in-hand as far as creative work that has more of an impact than people realize.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
My son Brett was born in the fall of 2020, so I was staying home both to take care of him and because of the pandemic. That was when I started to get really into cooking, because the entire family was staying home all of the time, that’s also when I realized having my own garden was a game-changer! Now, cooking the food I grow has become a major part of my recipe and meal planning strategy.
But yes, a silver lining of Covid-19 was definitely that it jumpstarted my desire to cook more interesting and complex meals. I had posted some online and I started to get a bunch of “how did you make that?” comments that eventually led to me launching The Weather Chef and focusing on it in a big way over the last couple of years. 2025 is the first time I’m really looking at it as a full-time project that I want to grow, so I’m excited to see what this year brings.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://theweatherchef.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackiejohnsonla
Image Credits
Sara Prince
