Building a Culinary Empire, One Local Ingredient at a Time
July 23, 2026
By Anna Toot
As dining trends come and go, some stand the test of time — frozen yogurt, fondue and avocado toast — while others falter. Farm-to-table is a concept that many restaurateurs popularized in the early 2010s. Many Iowans and Iowa chefs just know this to be the norm. Especially Chef Jessica Baldus, or Chef Jes for short.
Farm-to-table focuses on serving fresh food made from locally sourced ingredients and pairing it with a unique dining experience. Chefs encourage diners to slow down and gain a deeper appreciation for the food producers and farmers in their communities. Menus change seasonally, based on which ingredients are fresh and available, to ensure peak flavor and nutritional value is appreciated.
It’s also what made Baldus an Iowa culinary star, earning appearances on “Supermarket Stakeout” and “Guy’s Grocery Games” on Food Network, a spot on the Iowa Restaurant Association’s 40 Women to Watch list in 2020, Top Honors at the Iowa Pork Producers’ 38th and final Taste event, a James Beard award nomination and many more.
A Portfolio with Purpose
Baldus wears many hats: chef, entrepreneur, restaurateur and mentor, but her journey to becoming a business owner began in 2008 with the opening of a cheesecake shop in Des Moines. This shop eventually expanded into something much bigger: five independent businesses, operating in tandem, each making waves in their specific culinary niche.
The cheesecake shop expanded into the Bakery, Baldus’ concept that offers custom cakes, desserts and pastries, available by custom order.
At Taste in Osage, stylized as t a s t e ., diners can experience Baldus’ now-famous chef’s table meals, available by appointment only. Housed beneath the restaurant is The Blind Pig, a members-only speakeasy designed to evoke the authenticity of the Prohibition era.
Beyond the dining experience, Baldus has expanded the brand through Piggyback Smoke Shack, a barbecue concept operating as a “ghost kitchen” that serves Osage and the surrounding area through catering, events, pop-ups and online ordering. The business also includes the Market, a storefront offering locally sourced produce, herbs and meats, though its future has evolved from the original vision.
“The Market started as a sister concept to my t a s t e . culinary concept. I wanted to create a retail space where customers could buy some of the locally sourced products they may have tried during their dinners at
t a s t e ., including specialty meats, herbs and produce that they can’t find at the grocery store.”
Baldus is planning to close the Market this year, not because it wasn’t successful, but because it achieved exactly what she wanted it to: connecting customers and Iowa food producers. Most of her customers now buy products directly from the producers.
“The Market never brought a profit. It was always a passion project. It was about connecting our community and driving people to become passionate about sourcing food locally. Although closing it is bittersweet, I can now look back and know that I completed the mission I set out to achieve,” Baldus said.
Through her work, she has also witnessed the positive impact of the Choose Iowa grant program offered by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. The program matches Baldus’ vision of connecting consumers to Iowa produce and food products while expanding markets for Iowa producers, inspiring many producers to open brick-and-mortar stores on-site. Participating products proudly display a “Choose Iowa” logo on their packaging or labels.
The Relationships Behind the Menu
When Baldus started out, her goal was to source 70% of her ingredients locally. Today, she estimates that number sits at 90%. She did this by doing what she does best: cultivating relationships with local farmers and producers to source her ingredients. She knows the producers by name, understands their practices and often visits their farms, while also coordinating the logistics of the pickup and delivery and quickly pivoting when something doesn’t go as planned.
“In this business, you must be very resourceful. I know what I do isn’t for everybody. I have a go-with-the-flow personality and am always willing to adjust my orders to match how the market or crops are performing,” Baldus said. “Being able to adapt is very important, especially when it comes to farm-to-table.”
Today, Baldus works closely with many Iowa producers. Notably Purple Ribbon Beef in Britt, Skyview Beef in Nora Springs, Milton Creamery in Milton, Mangalitsa Estates in Clearfield, Jóia Food & Fiber Farm in Charles City and many more, but she is always seeking out new food distributors committed to her mission.
Local Roots go Global
Growing up in Osage, farm-to-table wasn’t a trend, but a way of life for Baldus and her family.
“I grew up on a small acreage where we didn’t have pre-packaged or pre-made foods. We had a garden; we foraged; we kept livestock. It was just how my family was raised.”
Implementing this grassroots approach to dining has attracted people from across the world to Osage. The typical customer at t a s t e . isn’t local. Baldus has cooked for people from Wales, Japan, and all regions of the U.S., often surprising diners with her takes on different food cultures.
“I love being able to take on global food and culture concepts with Iowa products. Our visitors don’t usually expect that, but Iowa is an agricultural powerhouse. We are lucky that we can produce such a wide range of foods.”
Baldus’ role has recently evolved beyond that of a chef and business owner toward culinary consulting. She travels across Iowa, the U.S. and internationally, presenting to students and peers, meeting with farmers in other countries to compare their agriculture and agritourism with Iowa practices and touring local distributors, wineries and restaurants to gain inspiration for her concepts.
All of this is done with one goal in mind: to positively represent Iowa wherever she goes.
“I am proud to use my experiences and talent to represent Iowa agriculture and culinary arts on a world stage. I’m fully focused on building up Iowa food producers and chefs,” Baldus said.
Even if she’s trying to relax on vacation, she can’t turn off her thirst for knowledge, often doing some on-the-ground research.
“I’ll usually find myself at a local cheese shop, speaking to the owner about my favorite cheese from back home: Prairie Breeze,” Baldus jokes.
Regardless of her frequent travels and growing reputation, Baldus still prioritizes her staple chef’s table events back home in Osage.
“Farm-to-table dinners will always be a part of my story. I will always make time for my home. I feel lucky to have created something rewarding that works so well for my business, my family and my community.”
Iowa Breeze Cake
For the old-fashioned white cake
Fluffy mix
• 1 pound unsalted butter (room temp.)
• 8 cups granulated sugar
Mix until fluffy.
Dry mix
• 10 ½ cups cake flour
• ¼ cup baking powder
• 1 tablespoon + ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon + ½ teaspoon salt
Combine all ingredients and slowly add and stir into to “fluffy mix.”
Wet mix
• 16 eggs
• 2 ⅔ cups sour cream
• 2 cups oil
• 1 cup vanilla
• 5 ⅓ cups milk
Incorporate all ingredients. Slowly add to the fluffy and dry mix.
Once all mixed, divide batter equally into four 9-inch round cake pans that have been greased. Bake at 350 degrees F for approx. 20-30 mins. Let cool.
For the buttercream
• 80 oz.(5 pounds) unsalted butter
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
• 16 cups confectioners sugar
• 2 tablespoons vanilla
• 6 ounces Prairie Breeze crumbled cheese
• 4 cups sweet corn kernels (finely chopped)
Whip butter with whisk until white, fluffy and airy.
In a separate bowl, whip sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, confectioner sugar and vanilla with whisk until sugar is disintegrated.
Slowly add second mixture to whipped butter mix until whipped together and incorporated as one.
Gently fold in crumbled cheese and sweet corn kernels to the buttercream mixture.
Use buttercream to frost the four cooled cakes.
For the sweet corn sauce
• 2 cups sweet corn
• 4 ounces chiffonade basil
• 2 ounces finely crumbled Prairie Breeze cheese
Lightly melt 2 cups buttercream with 2 cups sweet corn, add basil and Prairie Breeze. Use this mix to garnish each slice of cake.
Makes (4) 9-inch round cakes to layer.
Photos courtesy of Christopher Maharry Photography, Kathie Blake and t a s t e.