NEW MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Meet Jessica Licari, Founder of Fork It Foods

At EFBC, we are always excited to welcome new members who bring unique experiences, perspectives, and entrepreneurial journeys. One of our newest members, Jessica, founder of Fork It Foods, has an inspiring story that took her from 14 years as a nurse in Loyola’s burn unit to launching and growing a thriving catering and events business.

We sat down with Jessica to hear about her transition from healthcare to entrepreneurship, the challenges she faced along the way, and what led her to join EFBC. 

Can you give us a basic overview of your background and career thus far? What led you to start Fork It Foods? 

Yeah! I actually started my career in healthcare—I was a nurse for 14 years at Loyola in the burn unit. It was a really tight-knit group, and I loved medicine, but I also had a huge passion for cooking. 

I would always make food for my coworkers, and they really enjoyed it. Eventually, people started asking, “Can we pay you for this?” So I thought, maybe this could actually be a business. 

At first, I just created a small menu and took weekly orders. I kept refining the process, and after about a year, I realized, this could be something real. 

In September 2018—just 10 days before my 40th birthday—I officially left my nursing career and went full-time with Fork It Foods. 

That’s a huge career transition! What was your original business model, and how has Fork It Foods evolved since then? 

We started as a meal prep company—think Blue Apron, but fully cooked and ready to eat. Customers would place orders, we’d cook everything fresh, and deliver meals for the week. 

At the same time, I was building relationships with farmers and vendors at local markets. Some of our customers wanted everything to be farm-to-table, so I started sourcing fresh cheeses, meats, and produce. 

That’s when I noticed something interesting—grazing tables were becoming popular in Australia, but not many people were doing them here. We decided to test it out. 

Our first grazing table event was in June 2018, even before I officially left nursing. It took off, and that side of the business really started growing. Eventually, catering and events completely overtook the meal prep side, and we had to pivot. 

How did COVID-19 impact your business? 

Oh, it was a rollercoaster. We had just moved into our own commercial kitchen space in December 2019, and three months later, the world shut down. 

At first, we didn’t know what would happen. We had to cancel our grand opening. My business partner at the time wasn’t comfortable coming back to work, so I bought her out. 

But then something unexpected happened—meal prep picked back up. 

During COVID, grocery stores were empty, and people didn’t know where to get food. Since we were already set up for meal prep and delivery, we filled a huge gap. Most restaurants weren’t ready to pivot to takeout, but we had the packaging, the logistics, and the systems in place. 

We stayed afloat and even grew during 2020, which was incredible. But once things opened back up, I had to make a tough decision—keep the meal prep or go all-in on events and catering. 

It became clear that catering was the future of the business, so in 2022, we fully transitioned to event catering, grazing tables, and corporate experiences. 

What does Fork It Foods look like today? 

So now, it’s a lot. We still do grazing tables—that’s really the heart of it—but it’s grown way beyond that. We’ve got our own private event space now, which has been great. We host everything there—corporate stuff during the week, cocktail parties, even community events. 

We also have a tap trailer, which is this super cute little teardrop trailer we converted. It has taps on the side for beer, wine, cocktails—it’s perfect for off-site events. 

And then we do nationwide shipping for our grazing boxes, which people love for corporate gifts or remote events. 

How did you first hear about EFBC, and what made you decide to join? 

I first heard about EFBC in 2018 through Mike Mete, of PSM Partners. He actually brought me to an event back then and told me, you HAVE to join. 

At the time, I couldn’t afford it—I was still in the early stages of the business. But EFBC stuck in the back of my mind. 

Mike has always been my go-to person for business advice. He was like my personal EFBC of one—the only person I could bounce ideas off of. 

Last year, he invited me to another EFBC event, and this time, it just made sense. I talked with Liz, and after hearing more about the community, I knew I was ready to join. 

What are you hoping to get out of EFBC? 

For me, EFBC is my version of getting a business degree. 

I was a nurse—I didn’t go to school for business. But here, I have access to people who are experts in different areas. 

Also, I finally have a real sounding board beyond just Mike. I can ask questions, learn from other people’s experiences, and be part of a community of business owners who “get it.” 

Ultimately, I want to learn how to grow my team in a smart, strategic way. The goal is to scale the business so I can focus on big-picture growth while my team handles the day-to-day. 

Welcome to EFBC, Jessica! 

Jessica’s story is a great example of how passion, resilience, and adaptability can lead to entrepreneurial success. We are thrilled to have her as part of the EFBC community and can’t wait to see how Fork It Foods continues to grow! Connect with Jessica in the EFBC Member Hub!