Home PeopleHoboken Girl of the Week Hoboken Girl of the Week: Julie Hartigan {of Cooking w/ Julie}

Hoboken Girl of the Week: Julie Hartigan {of Cooking w/ Julie}

by Arielle Witter
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Cooking can {sometimes} be hard. For many of us, trying to make that Instagram-worthy meal of our favorite IG foodie’s post usually ends up being a not-so-pretty mess on a plate {very à la Nailed It!}. Us aspiring chefs, however, are in luck — and thankfully, there are people like Julie Hartigan out there who walk us through recipes to help us make the tastiest {and not so hot-mess-like} meals. As the woman behind Cooking w/ Julie and this week’s Hoboken Girl of the Week, find out how Julie got her start, her goals, career highlights, and more — all as an acclaimed chef and public figure in the foodie world. Keep reading to learn all about this week’s Hoboken Girl of the Week, Julie Hartigan of Cooking w/ Julie.

hoboken girl week julie hartigan

Tell us about yourself.

I’ve been a Hoboken girl since I moved to town right after grad school and am raising my two daughters here — while running my company from home in Hoboken.  I created my brand Cooking w/Julie to help home cooks feel more confident in the kitchen and find that perfect “happy-meets-healthy” balance in their lives.  I share EASY healthy recipes, cooking tips, and fun party ideas on my website CookingwJulie.com, on Instagram @cookingwjulie, in morning show segments, and on my YouTube channel too.

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I also consult with lots of consumer brands, such as WW {Weight Watchers}, Bed Bath & Beyond, Real Simple, Cavit Wines, and more, publishing 1000s of recipes, producing and appearing in videos and TV segments, testing cooking gear, and even helping WW launch their Caribbean Wellness Cruises where we serve my recipes to 1000s of members on board, and I do super fun cooking demos too. Believe it or not, I was originally an {unfulfilled} engineer and tech consultant and have a BS/MS in industrial engineering. But food and cooking were always my passion and my “someday” career. When my girls were little, I decided to go for it and went to a professional culinary school in NYC to become a chef. I was a personal chef for families in Hoboken, worked at the Food Network, and in several cooking magazine test kitchens before launching my business. I absolutely love what I do and helping others live happier healthier lives.

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See More: Hoboken Girl of the Week:  Anna Gullo {Vice Principal of Hoboken High}

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Who is your biggest source of inspiration? 

People who love food and parties, but want to strike that healthy balance! I’m all about finding ways to make cooking easier for people and lightening things up {calorie-wise} when I can. I’m also always trying new spots in the city and constantly find inspiration when I travel.  I just got back from Cuba and it was an amazing experience. Last summer I ate and wine tasted my way through Portugal — I highly recommend visiting, especially since it is super cheap to eat out and eat well.

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What are your goals for this year?

I’ve been having a blast doing tons of live TV cooking segments and plan to continue those, including more brand-sponsored segments. I’m also so excited to have two new YouTube shows launching! One is “Happy-Healthy Cooking Hacks,” where I’ll be sharing some of my favorite tips and tricks to make healthy cooking easier and seriously delicious. The second show is being co-produced by a client and is tentatively titled “The Insider’s Table” — I’ll be going on location to explore something cool in the food world from a chef-insider perspective, and then showing the viewer how to try it at home.

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What’s a typical day look like for you?

One of my favorite things about what I do is how varied each day is. I work from home in Hoboken and am often doing a mix of recipe testing and food photography, planning or shooting videos, or online research. Other days I’m up and out at the crack of dawn to do live TV or location video shoots. On a daily basis, there are always lots of dishes involved, ideally working out, spending time having fun with my girls and my boyfriend, and playing with our crazy puppy. We adopted him from Liberty Humane in Jersey City — he’s a big baby and constantly cracks us up.

hoboken girl week cooking w julie

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

I’m so glad I followed my heart to a career I would love in the culinary world that reflects the real me. It was a scary leap to make and I had to ignore plenty of naysayers. My boyfriend and I live together in Hoboken and bought a place in Asbury Park a few years ago. Getting to spend time both in Hoboken and at the beach has been a dream come true — I do most of my video shoots there and love how my life has evolved into a fantastic blend of work and fun. And being a mom has been the biggest surprise joy of my life. {TBH, at one time I wasn’t even sure if I wanted kids!} My girls are the best thing ever.

Read More: A Day in the Life of Jersey City Blogger Caitlyn Warakomski

Tell us about another business in the area you admire. 

I’m a huge fan of Salon Gatto and how they always strive to pamper their clients with a welcoming posh experience and positivity.

Hoboken + Jersey City Favorites

What is your favorite restaurant in Hoboken?

Antique Bar & Bakery — they have the best combination of amazing cocktails, creative cooking, and the most fun vibe. Plus, the owners are just the nicest guys ever.

What is your favorite boutique in Hoboken?

 Alba — they always seem to have the perfect piece no matter the occasion.

What do you love most about Hoboken?

The friendly small-city vibe here plus the easy access to NYC.

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 What is your favorite thing to do in Hudson County?

 I love checking out new spots and getting to know/support small business owners.

How long have you lived + worked in Hoboken?

My entire adult life. I moved here right out of college and adopted Hoboken as my new hometown.

What is your favorite outdoor place to spend time in Hoboken?

Walking along the Hoboken waterfront and Movies Under the Stars at Pier A — how lucky are we to have that gorgeous view of NYC. It always takes my breath away.

 What is your favorite place to work out in Hudson County?

I alternate between CycleBbar and Local Barre classes to keep things balanced — they’re super close to my apartment, which makes it easy to sneak in workouts no matter how busy my week is.

Where do you go out with friends in the area?

So many fav spots. From Halifax for bottomless brunch to Onieal’s for burgers/football, Elysian anytime, the City Bistro roof deck on beautiful nights, and Orale for the best food and margaritas. We tend to go to JC for cocktails at The Archer, Cellar 335, Harry’s Daughter, and Dullboy.

What is something you think needs to come to Hoboken?

I’d love to see high-end, cozy, mixology style cocktail bars in Hoboken, upscale Asian small plates, and also legitimate live music {JC is way ahead of us on those}. I always thought Shake Shack would be a great addition down by Pier A too or a healthy option like Dig Inn or Sweetgreen.

Keep up with Julie and her tasty recipes via Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at @cookingwjulie, her website CookingwJulie.com, or via email at juliehartigan@gmail.com.

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