When an adolescent dream of becoming a firefighter fueled Jon Jones’ career path, he pursued it wholeheartedly… until he discovered that this career path was not fulfilling as an adult. What followed is a truly inspiring journey to become a well-known and loved local food and beverage influencer, writer and founder of a local marketing firm. Together these roles created a newfound multi-faceted career reflecting Jones’ strengths, interests, entrepreneurial spirit, and his deep passion and appreciation for the development of his own palate and sharing his experiences with others.
A curious fascination with scotch-whiskey and cigars was an early catalyst that helped launch his career as a local food influencer before that term was officially coined. “Those early experiences began the process of developing my palate, and the intrigue and complexity associated with discerning the flavor nuances of smoke and drink,” Jones explains. “I was hooked, and my path led into exploring similar experiences with other beverages and food.”
As anyone on social media knows, audience engagement is key. Jones has an innate ability to connect with his audience, delivering posts that are entertaining, thorough, positive and relative to his followers. His sincerity and genuine heart for all he does shines through.
“Jon is truly a wonderful person, he is so humble, and incredibly kind and supportive,” remarks Renee Anderson aka Wild Oregon Girl, a fellow social media influencer and friend of Jones. “I admire his perseverance and ability to connect with others in our community. He is an inspiration and incredibly knowledgeable about not only food, but the human condition.”
Author of articles appearing in numerous local publications since 2015, Jones began sharing his reviews and local experiences early on through his personal Facebook and Instagram accounts. This allowed him to establish trust and familiarity with his audience.
In 2018, "Bend Foodies” Facebook group was formed. Jones joined this community and, in 2019, assumed the administrative role and duties. Central Oregon’s largest food and beverage community with close to 19,000 members. “Our community is comprised of foodies, food and beverage purveyors, restaurant and food truck pages, media and more,” states Jones. “It serves as an information and connection hub for all of the great food and beverage happenings in Central Oregon and we regularly hold meet and greets at eateries in and around Bend.”
In 2020, Jones began using “The Bend Foodie” branding on Instagram and Facebook. And, in a natural extension of his work as a writer and social media influencer, Jones founded his marketing company, Upper Left Digital Media. This company focuses on all facets of digital marketing for small to medium-sized businesses, assisting them with everything from website design to search engine optimization, social media marketing and video and photography services.
Regarding the regional dining scene, Jones notes that it is unique in many ways due to challenges such as sourcing certain ingredients. “The thing I always appreciate about the local restaurateurs is that they are very resourceful and experimental with what they are putting on their menus, which is great to see. They use a lot of ingenuity and creativity to fill some of those gaps.”
Another idiosyncratic aspect of the local culinary scene is the large number of food truck lots per capita, and even how those food trucks move around. “The food scene here is just so dynamic, it’s hard to keep up,” remarks Jones. “I appreciate that, because to me, that means there is always a new experience to explore.”
Through his work in Bend’s culinary scene, Jones has enjoyed some notable experiences, including serving as a panel judge for Crater Lake Spirit’s Gin Riot cocktail competition, sharing a meal at Bend’s Sen Thai with one of his food-influencer idols, Raina Huang, and being interviewed for and appearing in a few scenes of Guy Fieri’s television show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives at Anita’s Kitchen in Bend.
Jones’ career and life journey has been one of dedication, discovery and passion, and along the way he proclaims to have found fulfillment. “Well curated food and beverage experiences have deeply intrigued and thoroughly enriched my life since I started developing my palate,” explains Jones. “Those experiences are the deepest and most complex form of artistic expression that I’ve ever participated in. Further, those experiences invigorate soul, strengthens your mind and body, and literally become an internally integrated part of your human existence. Food and drink is life.”
Instagram: @thebendfoodie
Facebook: The Bend Foodie
Facebook Group: Bend Foodies
“Those experiences are the deepest and most complex form of artistic expression that I’ve ever participated in."
—Jon Jones, The Bend Foodie