Tablespoon Cooking Co.
Jordan Hamons, Founding Owner of Tablespoon Cooking Co.
Jordan Hamons, owner of Tablespoon Cooking Co., grew up with a fascination for cooking. She would experiment in her kitchen, cooking up random projects. To her, cooking was just a natural part of her life. She recalls creating her own barbecue sauce by mixing up spices that she would find in her pantry.
“I would even make my parents try it–it was probably scary sometimes!” Jordan laughs.
When Jordan attended college at the University of Cincinnati, she lived in dorms and sorority houses and couldn’t cook. In her final year of college, she moved off campus and her love for cooking rekindled and grew from there.
While she was a student at UC, Jordan would frequent Findlay Market on the weekends, whether it be to get take out from Pho Lang Thang or to simply shop at the Market. “Findlay Market became my favorite place in the city,” says Jordan. “It’s a food hub.” When she was looking for places to have Tablespoon Cooking Co, it just felt natural for it to be at Findlay Market.
“That was a very cool moment for me. I think back to when I first moved to Cincinnati and came to the Market, and now I’m part of the fabric. There’s nowhere else in the city I’d want to be in,” says Jordan.
Starting a business in Over-the-Rhine was no small feat, but Jordan never gave up her dream. She started teaching cooking classes in Findlay Kitchen before opening up her own storefront in 2021. “I’m very thankful for Findlay Kitchen and for having that opportunity; we wouldn’t be here had we not been able to create a concept and test the waters,” says Jordan.
Jordan is a regular for many Findlay Market businesses, whether it be to pick up a coffee at Deeper Roots, pick up meat from Eckerlin Meats, partner up with Babushka Pierogi for a class, or to get her nails done at Spruce Nail Shop. She tells us that Artichoke was one of the earliest supporters of Tablespoon Cooking Co. “They are all my favorites. It just depends on what I need that day,” say Jordan.
Jordan finds inspiration for cooking by traveling. She recently returned from a trip to Italy and, of course, has been on a major pasta kick since her return. She was thrilled to venture around Bologna, a major food capital that is renowned for its culinary tradition.
Despite being a Perrysburg native, Jordan loves all of the Cincinnati food staples, from Skyline Chili, to Grippos and the Montgomery Inn. “I believe that Cincinnati has the best ice cream in the world,” says Jordan.
From turkey-prep classes to holiday parties, Jordan is looking forward to the busy holiday season at Tablespoon Cooking Co. The pie-making class is one of her favorites that she teaches. She loves that everyday is different for her; it keeps her on her toes. She tells us that engaging with guests is the best part of her job. “Our goal is to have fun. In order for our guests to have fun, we need to be having fun also,” says Jordan.
Jordan’s advice to young culinary students is to try a lot of things and watch all of the cooking shows you can. “Just learn, learn, learn, and especially, be patient. You may see other’s success and want it to happen to you overnight, but it doesn’t. You have to work your way up.”
Published October 2022