The Milan News-Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Local grad pens book
Jennifer Heigl writes 'Career Diary of a Caterer'
By Alison Marable, Special Writer
PUBLISHED: January 10, 2008
Growing up in Milan, Jennifer Heigl never imagined she'd end up in Portland, Ore., as director of marketing and events at Zen Kitchen and the author of her first book, titled "Career Diary of a Caterer."
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The 30-year-old author was born in northern California but attended Milan schools beginning with the second grade, graduating from Milan High School in 1995. During middle and high schools, she was active in the choir, band, yearbook and the school newspaper.
Heigl feels a sense of loyalty toward the community in which she grew up. She plans to donate a copy of her book to the Milan Public Library and Milan High School, and is still close with her best friend from high school.
"In fact, only recently have I grown to appreciate that sense of community," Heigl wrote in her biography in the book.
Her favorite Milan High School teachers were Bryan Girbach, Dan Reeves, Sue Kraske and high school science teacher Eugene Huber, who is thanked in the acknowledgements section of her book for teaching her to problem solve. He retired from teaching in 2002 after 32 years in the school system.
Huber recalls Heigl, known then as Jennifer Matthewson, as a good student who "learned what she needed to learn." He used chemistry as a tool to teach problem-solving, believing that it allowed students to accomplish anything simply by knowing where to get information.
"That's why I was in the business -- to see kids mature and become successful," Huber said.
The high school teacher had not yet been told about being mentioned in the book, but is looking forward to getting his hands on a copy. Upon learning of Heigl's praise, he said, "It's just one of the many rewards we get for teaching."
Starting at the age of 5, Heigl performed as a singer for her church congregation and at one point pursued music as a possible career choice.
"I continued to pursue a career in music during high school, but also developed interests in photography, writing and editing," she said.
Heigl still has family in the Milan area. Her mother, Jean Wilson, is the past president of the Milan Area Chamber of Commerce, serving since 2001. Wilson also has directed the One Voice Gospel Choir for almost 20 years. Heigl's stepfather, Jack, is a Realtor with Keller Williams in Milan, and her brother, Chris, is a professional musician and guitar instructor.
Heigl's mother said family and friends are excited, but not surprised, about the book's release.
"We have thought all along she would be a writer," Wilson said.
"She kept amazing diaries all through school and showed an interest in writing all along," Wilson said. "I think she has a unique gift -- a combination of insight and the ability to describe events so that you really believe you are there."
During her junior year in college, Heigl studied abroad in Australia. She earned a degree from Western Michigan University in 1999, majoring in communications with a minor in graphic arts. Following graduation, she moved to Seattle, where she worked as a creative Web producer and developed an interest in marketing communications.
Heigl met her husband in 2002 when a friend of her father's introduced Heigl to Jeff Heigl, the woman's son. The following year, the couple discussed combining her marketing skills with his culinary talent in a catering company that would feature organic foods.
"Joking that I would marry him if the business went well, we married a year after the business began," Heigl wrote in her book.
The duo created Zen Kitchen, an organic catering business that offered nutritious lunches for private schools in the Portland area, a delicious menu filled with all natural breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and appetizers, attractive special event set-ups, and meal options for those who desired vegan, vegetarian or diabetic meals.
The company has catered events for Glamour and Vegetarian Times magazines, was involved with community nonprofit programs, and won the Best Caterer award by Citysearch.com two years in a row.
When the couple was expecting their first child, Sarah, they decided to take a break from the catering business, which allowed Heigl time to devote to her writing.
"I haven't had a chance to really write much since we started the business," she said.
While looking for writing opportunities, she discovered a small publisher in Washington, D.C., that offered her a contract in their Career Diary book series.
Heigl signed the contract in December 2006, finished the manuscript in February 2007, and "Career Diary of a Caterer" was published in November 2007.
She has plans to write a second book, but wants it to be more personal.
"I think it's so awesome that years from now our grandchildren will be able to pick up a book and read about us," she said.
Heigl handled many daily tasks at Zen Kitchen, including overseeing staff, food preparation, event management, marketing and sales. Heigl's book, published by Garth Gardner Co., describes day-to-day struggles of working in the food industry. The book is filled with actual stories from her experiences and allows the public to see what really happens behind the scenes in the catering business.
She describes living in the northwest as an eye-opening experience. While her husband was familiar with organics and the catering business, Heigl was not.
"I didn't really understand the whole organic thing coming from the meat-and-potatoes Midwest, so we've learned a lot as we've gone along," she said.
"Once you start reading the labels of your favorite foods, you start realizing just how many preservatives and chemicals are in your food," she said.
The couple's catering business cooked with organic, free-range, and wild vegetables, dairy products and meats as much as possible. Zen Kitchen also composted scraps, recycled and donated leftover food to local shelters.
Since organics are more popular where she lives now, she and her husband studied the relationship between food and health.
"So we read more, and learned more, and used that knowledge to teach our clients about the beauty of organics," Heigl said.
Heigl and her husband are currently working collaboratively on a Zen Kitchen cookbook while they enjoy spending time with their 8-month-old daughter. Heigl also writes a business blog for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and does consulting work.
After working 60-hour work weeks at Zen Kitchen, penning her first novel and caring for an infant, she says, "The big plan is just to enjoy ourselves and spend time together."
"Career Diary of a Caterer" is currently available online at Amazon.com and by special order at other bookstores.
Alison Marable is a freelance writer and can be reached at alimarabelle@yahoo.com.
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