RECIPE REVEAL
TAKING A CULINARY JOURNEY
Chef JRodi brings a bit of Europe to Texas. BY ALLIE JUSTIS
founder and owner of 3 Small Plates LLC, and she has been finding new and interesting ways to blend her love for European food with her Southern roots right here in Austin. At 3 Small Plates, Chef JRodi and her team of culinary specialists cater a wide variety of dishes with European flair as well as some classic American meals. Catering to parties as large as 40 or even creating boxes to be enjoyed at home, she gives her dishes everything she’s got. After spending years overseas with her husband in the military, Chef JRodi wanted to show Austin the endless possibilities these unique flavors and experiences have to offer. “What I wanted to do was bring that European class and flavor to you by sitting you down, laying the napkin in your lap,” says JRodi. “It’s all about taking this culinary journey. I want you to feel like when you stand back up, you will have that feeling that you have been someplace by eating my food.” Above all, JRodi says providing the food is only the first step in creating a worthwhile experience for her customers. She is determined to surprise at every step of the food journey that she takes them on, and for her it is a privilege to have that opportunity. “It’s all worth it,” says JRodi. “Because it’s never about me. It’s about serving our clients and making the most for them. If we’re saying we’re taking them on a culinary journey, we want to put in every effort. Whatever we have, we’re going to put it all on the table.” With the chicken and penne pasta recipe she is sharing, Chef JRodi says the best way to make the most of this dish is to work ahead. With the chicken used in the dish, she says poultry from the farmer’s market will always have the edge over store-bought chicken. If you marinate that chicken in your favorite white or red wine overnight, it will come out even more flavorful and tender when it’s time to cook it.
54 | AUSTIN WOMAN | AUGUST 2021
Photos courtesy of Chef Jen Rodriguez.
Jen Rodriguez, otherwise known as Chef JRodi, is the executive chef,
