Culinary Instructor Jill Hough

Jill Hough

Jill Silverman Hough began working at COPIA as part of our first group of volunteer docents in October, 2001. Within six months she became a paid consultant and, in the fall of 2004, joined the staff as Adjunct Culinary Instructor. Today, she regularly teaches food classes for up to 80 participants--from short, lecture-style presentations to longer, multi-dish demonstrations, including COPIA's popular signature series, A Taste of COPIA Lunch. Her wide range of subjects have included chocolate, tomatoes, strawberries, Asian vegetables, grilling, cooking with kids, chiles, cheese, ice cream and sorbets, and breads and cakes. Working closely with COPIA's Culinary Programs Manager, Jill also helps conceive, plan and produce food programs, and assist guest chefs and speakers.

In addition to her work at COPIA, Jill is a food writer and recipe developer. Her work has appeared in several magazines, including Bon Appetit, US Airways' Attaché, ReadyMade and Safeway Select, as well as on packaging and promotional materials for Robert Mondavi Winery, Jekel Wines, McPherson Wines, Hollandia Produce, Mann Packing, the Cherry Marketing Institute and the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board. "Quick Cuisine," her twice-monthly column for ANG Newspapers, is syndicated throughout the San-Francisco Bay Area.

A member of both the San Francisco Professional Food Society and the International Association of Culinary Professionals, Jill started her career as an advertising copywriter, spending twelve years at agencies in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Accounts including TWA, CBS, Huggies, Hershey's and Maxwell House helped her hone her ability to speak to and motivate consumers. She left advertising to open the quintessential neighborhood cafe in Sausalito, California, which she owned for five years. Before moving to Napa and joining COPIA, Jill also worked as Food Editor of GreatEntertaining.com, a web site for party supplies and inspiration, and interned at Mattson, perhaps the country's largest food product development company.