About Us
Hey there, I’m Kevin Joger. I never planned to become a cook, let alone someone who writes about food. I studied English Literature at UC Berkeley, thinking I’d end up in publishing or teaching. Instead, I found myself at 23, sitting in a small Italian restaurant in Oakland, eating a simple fava bean crostini that changed everything.
I spent two years in Italy, learning from home cooks and restaurant chefs in small villages where recipes have been passed down for generations. I worked in kitchens where nobody measured anything, where timing was based on smell and sound.
Now I’m back in the Portland, Oregon, working as a sous chef and teaching cooking classes when I can. This site is where I share the traditional recipes and techniques I’ve learned, adapted for modern home kitchens. I focus on seasonal ingredients and time tested methods.
MY TEAM
Meet the team that helps bring CooklySimple to your kitchen.
- Marco Torres : Recipe Developer & Food Stylist, originally from San Antonio and now based in Portland. He is the responsible for testing every recipe, styling each plate with an eye for texture and seasonality, and keeps our shoots grounded in real, repeatable home cooking.
- Daniel Chen : Our Food Photographer & Visual Director, born in Vancouver and working in Portland. Daniel handles lighting, composition, and post, using a tethered DSLR workflow to capture clear, step‑by‑step visuals you can trust.
CooklySimple is growing, and diversity makes our work better. We’re actively welcoming talented women to join our team recipe development, food styling, photography, editing, or operations. If you’re excited about seasonal cooking and honest storytelling, send a short note and portfolio to our email [email protected]. We’d love to talk.
Love to hear from you! Drop me a line on my Contact page