For Victor and Jessica King, the line between work and life has always been intertwined with food. The newly married couple built their careers on different sides of the restaurant world, but they share a belief that hospitality is about much more than what arrives on the plate. It is about generosity, connection and creating a place where people feel welcome.
For Victor, that philosophy began long before he entered a professional kitchen. “I grew up on a farm outside of Nashville,” he says. “We always entertained and we always made everything from scratch. The kitchen was the heart of our home, and it’s where I feel most at home today.”
Victor moved to Birmingham at 18 for college and never left. Today, he is executive chef and owner of The Essential, Birmingham’s beloved neighborhood bistro, where his approach to food and hospitality is rooted in the same warmth he experienced growing up. “I love getting to create a space for guests and staff that feels playful and inviting,” he says.
Jessica’s route to hospitality was less direct, but the destination feels equally natural. After a career in media sales, she stepped away two years ago to pursue a longtime dream: opening a nonprofit pay-what-you-can café. Knowing she needed firsthand restaurant experience, she began serving and worked her way into management. Today, she is general manager of downtown Birmingham’s Wooden City while fundraising to bring her nonprofit vision–Somedays Cafe–to life. “I’ve always known that food, hospitality and ensuring everyone has a seat at the table have always been passions of mine,” Jessica says, “so starting my service industry journey felt natural.”
Their shared love of hospitality was there from the beginning. The couple met while working together, Jessica was drawn to the joy Victor brought into the workplace—and onto the plate. “I always loved the joy and excitement he brought to work and how that translated into the dishes he was preparing,” she says. “We’ve always had a lot of fun working together on things, so I think it was an easy fit from the beginning.”
Victor puts their connection more simply: “We shared a common love of doing whatever it took to make the guests happy.” That shared outlook continues to shape their relationship today. Jessica naturally views restaurants through a front-of-house lens, while Victor brings a chef’s perspective from the kitchen. Rather than keeping their professional worlds separate, they regularly bring them home, talking through everything from challenges to new ideas. “My brain is geared so much toward the front-of-house that he helps to balance it out,” Jessica says. “I think together we have a really full view of hospitality when it comes to guests and staff alike.”
“We love to talk about work,” Victor adds. “I find it really rewarding to work through problems and triumphs with Jess.”
Inspired by Birmingham—and Beyond
Traveling often gives the Kings a fresh perspective on their work and on Birmingham itself. Whether they’re fitting in a quick weekend trip or reflecting on what Victor calls their “epic honeymoon,” experiencing other cities, restaurants and cultures gives them new ideas to bring home. “Travel is a constant source of inspiration,” Victor says. “We also had an epic honeymoon full of beautiful new experiences that I can’t wait to translate to Birmingham.”
Those experiences are closely tied to the couple’s dedication to the city they call home. “We live downtown and talk often of ways we can be working toward making Birmingham a better place for all people,” Jessica says. “We travel often, which I think gives us inspiration and a more holistic view on ways Birmingham can be even better.”
For Victor and Jessica, Birmingham’s dining scene stands apart for the sense of comfort and generosity woven throughout it that Victor believes is distinctly Birmingham. “Many of the restaurants set out to deliver a high level of excellence and generosity without just heaping on the butter,” he says. “It’s something that is ingrained in the culture.”
After calling Birmingham home for about a decade, Jessica has come to appreciate that same warmth. Great food may draw you in, but it’s the people who make you want to come back. “Not only are our restaurants here serving some of the best food in the country, but it also comes alongside a friendly face who remembers you and welcomes you in even on your worst day,” she says.
When the two have a chance to enjoy Birmingham’s dining scene as guests, Chez Fon Fon is a longtime favorite. Jessica loves the mussels with plenty of toasted bread, while Victor says their visits usually involve a bottle of wine and “way too much food.” With a menu that changes with the seasons, he figures it’s better not to take any chances: “Something may change, you can’t risk not getting something.”
Sunday nights often lead them to Bygones after Victor finishes work, where a great cocktail and sushi prepared by their friend Zach Schaffer make for an easy end to the weekend.
Bringing It Home
Their enthusiasm for food hardly disappears once they walk through their own front door. Cooking at home is part meal, part creative outlet, and part ritual. “We’ll typically open a bottle of wine and start with some oysters or a cheese plate while Victor whips up some homemade pasta or steak and veggies,” Jessica says.
Victor favors uncomplicated meals built around great ingredients: a roast, plenty of vegetables, a large salad or a steak with a bright, herbaceous sauce. Making pasta together has become another favorite pastime. “She’s an artist, so the creativity runs wild,” he says.
A favorite at home is what Victor calls “Steak Jess,” a decidedly decadent take on a ribeye. It starts with a 12- to 16-ounce steak and what he readily admits is “way too much butter,” lightly browned with crushed garlic, thyme, sage and rosemary. Rather than focusing on a hard sear, the steak gently cooks in the seasoned butter before resting. The butter is then strained and poured back over the top, with fresh tomatoes and a splash of homemade red wine vinegar served alongside. “It’s not about a sear, it’s about the silly decadence of it,” Victor says. “This is only for comforting purposes.”
For the full experience, Victor recommends a slightly wild Beaujolais or a really cold red from the Jura. His advice for after dinner is considerably simpler: “Gotta take a walk.”
Whether they’re comparing notes after work, planning what comes next, traveling or cooking dinner at home, food and hospitality are a constant part of Victor and Jessica’s life together. Their perspectives may come from different sides of the restaurant, but they share the same focus: creating experiences that feel generous, welcoming and connected to the people around them—and making sure everyone has a seat at the table.
Mozz + Beets for Home
KUMQUAT RELISH:
Makes about 1.5 cups
Ingredients:
65g preserved kumquat (skin only), cut into thin slivers
25g brown sugar
1.5g ground allspice (about 1/4 tsp)
35g shallot, small dice
50g cider vinegar
50g neutral oil
50g pecans, toasted and chopped
- Whisk brown sugar, vinegar, allspice, and shallot in a bowl until sugar dissolves.
- Add oil and preserved kumquat slivers, stir to combine.
- Fold in pecans just before serving so they stay crisp.
Note: Preserved kumquats are a salt-cured, usually weeks in the making — not something you'll find at a regular grocery store. If you don't already have a jar on hand, just sub 100g good quality orange marmalade (bitter/Seville-style if available) for the kumquat.
ROASTED BEETS:
Preheat oven to 400F.
Ingredients:
2 medium red beets
- Wrap each beet individually in foil. Roast 45-60 minutes, until a knife slides in with no
- resistance.
- Cool until you can handle them, then rub the skins off under running water (wear gloves —they'll stain).
- Slice into rounds about 1/4 inch thick.
BASIL OIL:
Makes about 1/2 cup
Ingredients:
30g basil leaves
120g neutral oil
- Blanch basil in boiling water for 10 seconds, then shock in ice water. Squeeze dry.
- Blend basil and oil on high 1-2 minutes until fully broken down and vibrant green.
- Strain through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Refrigerate; use within a few days.
ASSEMBLY — per plate
- 1 slice fresh mozzarella (cut a ball into 6ths, or use a bocconcini)
- Salt the mozzarella slice
- 1 small handful arugula, placed underneath3 beet rounds on top
- Generous spoonful of kumquat relish with pecans
- Flaky salt
- Generous drizzle of basil oil over the whole plate
Their shared love of hospitality was there from the beginning. The couple met while working together, Jessica was drawn to the joy Victor brought into the workplace—and onto the plate.
Jessica naturally views restaurants through a front-of-house lens, while Victor brings a chef’s perspective from the kitchen.