Episode 8: Jessica Dupuy - the Passion Driven Purpose Behind Great Food & Wine

Great artists and artisans are driven by a passion that expresses itself from within. In the case of world class food, wine, and even hospitality, we get to experience the results of that passion in a tangible way that involves all five senses. Yet, when sitting down for a meal or opening a bottle of wine it can be easy to take for granted the talent, work, and drive that culminated in that moment. Discovering and presenting the stories of great chefs, winemakers, distillers, and restauranteurs, is what drives the literary work and honest, journalistic approach of today’s podcast guest.

Food and wine author Jessica Dupuy’s desire for her readers to truly understand and genuinely benefit from the passion driven purpose behind some of Austin’s best chefs and restaurants makes itself clear in both the subjects she chooses to write about, and the story-driven way she reveals their ingredients, methods, and historical foundations. Jessica’s own journey as a writer, and the journalistic integrity with which she continues to intentionally approach her work, made for an incredibly fascinating interview.

We touched on a wide ranging number of topics, including:

The importance of “looking back” to recognize the value of past experiences

How difficult decisions must be made when charting your own course, and the necessity of “the pivot” when chasing down a dream

The unique challenges faced in journalism today (and what we can all do about it)

The burgeoning Austin food scene (and why some restaurants stand the test of time)

Texas wine - where it’s been, where it is, and where it might be going

Introductions to just some of the stories behind some of Austin’s best restaurants (more in her books!)

The rewarding dream projects of summarizing and presenting Texas and Southern cuisines

Jessica’s advice for picking wine, and for hosting your guests this holiday season

This was definitely one of my most enjoyable interviews - and it made me very hungry (I probably shouldn’t have been on the tail-end of an intermittent fasting cycle!). So, pour a great glass of wine to enjoy, and make sure you have snacks nearby, as you listen to Jessica tell the story of her own passion driven purpose as an author and journalist in the fascinating world of wine, spirits, food, and travel.

Jessica Dupuy is a native Texan who writes about wine, spirits, food, and travel. She is a contributing wine and spirits columnist for Texas Monthly magazine and has regular credits for Imbibe magazine, Wine Enthusiast magazine, Wine Review Online, and Fodor’s travel publications. 

Her magazine work has also been featured in National Geographic Traveler, The Hollywood Reporter, Texas Highways, and numerous Austin publications. 

She has also written Uchi: The Cookbook, in conjunction with James Beard Award winning Executive Chef Tyson Cole; The Salt Lick Cookbook: A Story of Land, Family and Love on the iconic Texas barbecue restaurant; the Jack Allen’s Kitchen Cookbook about revealing the true flavors of Texas through its seasons and farming community; and The United Tastes of Texas and the United Tastes of the South in collaboration with Southern Living magazine. 

Dupuy holds a BA in History from Trinity University and a MA in Journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. 

In her coverage of Texas wine and spirits for the past decade, she’s discovered a deeper passion for the world of all things fermented and distilled. She is a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, an Advanced certificate holder for the Wine and Spirits Educational Trust, and is a Certified Specialist of Wine and Spirits through the Society of Wine Educators. 

She is a member of Les Dames D’Escoffier–Austin. Dupuy lives in Austin with her family. Among the things she enjoys most are cooking with her kids, Gus and Ashlyn, sharing great wine with friends, and fly fishing with her husband, Myers. You can read more of Jessica’s past work, and follow her future projects via her website jessicadupuy.com and on instagram @jdewps.