Meet Your Catering Team
Hollie Jo Jackson
Chef Hollie Jackson is the founder and force behind H Jackson Events, a boutique catering company based in Monterey, California, known for bringing elevated, deeply personal food experiences to life. Whether it’s a 10-person dinner party in Big Sur or a 200-guest wedding on the Central Coast, Hollie’s events are anything but ordinary.
Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Hollie’s culinary journey started early—she was plating goat “soufflés” made of grass for the neighbors before she could reach the stove. That sense of play and passion turned into purpose, and she enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu in Portland straight out of high school. By the time she was 22, she was cooking in acclaimed fine dining kitchens like Canlis in Seattle and eventually landed in Monterey, where she found her culinary forever home.
Before launching H Jackson Events in 2021, Hollie honed her skills across the industry—from opening team roles at iconic restaurants like 1833 (now Stokes Adobe) to working behind the scenes at Pebble Beach Food & Wine and LA Food & Wine, to leading as both an executive chef and event planner for large-scale catering firms.
But it wasn’t until she started her own company that it all clicked. HJE is where Hollie’s true gift shines: crafting hyper-custom menus that tell stories, stir emotion, and turn strangers into family. Her style is unapologetically abundant, rooted in the seasons, and always full of surprises—think charred artichokes with citrus aioli, short ribs with stone fruit glaze, or her famous crunchy potatoes soaked in garlic butter.
What sets Hollie apart isn’t just the food—it’s the feeling. She believes the magic happens once everyone is at the table, plates are passed, and laughter spills into the night. She’s known for building connection through her cooking, pulling from Monterey’s bounty and layering it with nostalgic nods, bold flavors, and thoughtful intention.
She’s not interested in tweezers or foams—those days are behind her. Instead, she’s all about food that makes you feel something. The kind of meal that transports you to a memory, a place, a version of yourself that’s a little more grounded, a little more joyful.
When she’s not working 60+ hour weeks (and loving every second), you’ll likely still find her… cooking. At a friend’s house. In a field kitchen. Over a fire. Because for Hollie, food is love, and the table is where life happens.
Chef, Owner & Boss Babe
Director of Operations & Positive VibesMonique Bindel
Originally from Carmel Valley, Monique brings creative design talent, elevated hospitality experience, and vibrant West Coast energy to her role as Director of Operations & Positive Vibes at HJE. Her love for events began while working at Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival, where her friendship with Chef Hollie first blossomed, before heading to Colorado to earn her degree in Event & Meeting Management from MSU Denver.
After 10 years of producing weddings and corporate events throughout the Colorado Rocky Mountains, Monique has brought her luxury event expertise back home to California’s Central Coast. Known for her calmness under pressure, eye for beautiful details, and uplifting energy, she loves creating celebrations that feel seamless, welcoming, and full of heart. She’s a firm believer that positive management and uplifting her team are paramount to success, and that guests can truly feel the energy of a happy, supported team.
When she’s not doing a deep dive detailing your event, you can usually find Monique exploring the coast with her two huskies, soaking up the California sunshine, or enjoying the outdoors with a beverage in hand. She’s happiest bringing meaningful celebrations to life alongside her amazing HJE team!
Chef de CuisineGabrielle Molina
With nearly 15 years of experience working in kitchens throughout the Monterey Peninsula and Santa Cruz Bay Area, Gabrielle Molina knows what it takes to make food that hits home. With every carefully crafted bite, Gaby imagines she’s feeding her loved ones. Growing up in the central coast of California and working under seasoned and knowledgeable chefs, Gabrielle quickly learned that it takes more than high quality ingredients to make her favorite style of food, which she describes as “elevated comfort food”.
Gabrielle starting her professional kitchen career at Wild Thyme Deli, but quickly moved on to working in iconic restaurants like restaurant 1833 and Venus Spirits Cocktails & Kitchen (which she helped open two locations under owners Sean and Grace Venus). Through her years working in restaurants, she was inspired by fellow chefs to never settle and always push herself. But after years of personal growth and burn out from the toxic cultures that weaken so many great kitchens, Gabrielle learned that her love language was food and that positive and healthy kitchen culture was the only way to foster the passion that initially drove her to kitchens. And this longing for a supportive, balanced and fun kitchen brought her to HJE, where she fell in love with cooking all over again. And you can taste that love in every single bite.
You can follow her on Instagram @chef_gabrielle_molina
