By Jake Rallo
Life doesn’t slow down, and neither does the way we eat. As schedules get fuller and routines more mobile, food has quietly evolved to keep up, reshaping everything from how meals are prepared to how we bring them home.
When we look at the world of food and how transient lifestyles have influenced the industry, several clear trends emerge: the rise of fast-casual and quick-service restaurants like Cava and Sweetgreen; the growth of meal-kit companies such as Blue Apron and HelloFresh; and the evolution of ready-to-eat meal delivery services like Factor75. On a more local level, small boutique cafés and restaurants have also begun to pop up, focusing exclusively on packaged, ready-to-eat meals designed to serve local communities.
Enter The Blonde Shallot,
Monmouth County’s Hottest Ready-to-Eat Food Boutique
Jess Rogers and her husband moved from New York City to Little Silver in 2008 and quickly realized they couldn’t find the same high-quality prepared foods they had grown accustomed to in Manhattan. The concept of thoughtfully prepared salads and ready-made meals didn’t yet seem to exist, at least not at the scale or quality Jess was used to. For anyone looking to easily stock their fridge with meals, options were limited.
Jess was ready to change this.
A familiar and thoughtful tradition, dropping off a home-cooked meal for a family welcoming a new baby, sparked Jess’s idea to start a meal service company and change the food landscape in Monmouth County. When she found herself on the receiving end of that gesture, she recognized just how meaningful and convenient it was.
“It was the best feeling,” Jess said. “Nobody asked what you wanted. It just arrived, and it was comforting. That inspired me to start a meal delivery service.”
Jess left behind a 10-year career in fashion and made the pivot into the food industry, a move not many are brave enough to make. The idea for her meal delivery service was simple: a set, uncomplicated menu. Twice a week, an email went out, and customers could sign up. Jess ran the operation out of her home for several years, gradually building a loyal following through word of mouth and trust. What started as a mere 15 customers signing up grew to over 150 people actively using the delivery service.
The interesting thing is that Jess didn’t have a culinary degree. She just loved food. How did she start a food business with no formal background? Jess grew up in a family of home cooks and was a self-proclaimed “food magazine” nerd. It gave her exactly the foundation she needed to start her business.
As her meal service continued to grow, the next evolution of her business was inspired by beach days. What’s more Jersey Shore than that?
While watching her kids play tennis at the local beach club, Jess began getting requests from other parents to make salads, so she did. She even found the perfect place to sell them: the fridge in her beach cabana. She made about 30 salads a day; they moved fast and often sold out during each beach visit.
Jess set out to create salads that felt anything but ordinary, restaurant-quality dishes that stood apart from the standard fare. Her Bergdorf and Chinese salads, which she originally sold at her beach club, are prime examples and remain customer favorites to this day. What started as a beachside salad business, somewhat ironically, became one of Jess’s best ideas.
“That’s when things really took off,” she said. Soon after, her salads were being sold at local food markets, and the brand quickly became a household staple throughout Monmouth County.
Salads to Success:
What Was Next for Jess?
In 2020, Jess had the opportunity to bring The Blonde Shallot to a brick-and-mortar location in Little Silver. Shortly after opening, the pandemic hit, and she once again relied on her home-delivery model until she could safely reopen the storefront later that summer. With a physical space, The Blonde Shallot could expand beyond salads and offer much more. Today, the menu features salads, sandwiches, entrées and sides. You truly can get all of your meals from this one-stop shop.
A visit to The Blonde Shallot proves that small spaces can pack a serious punch. The storefront, no bigger than a mudroom, is filled wall-to-wall with packaged items, all in clear containers, made fresh daily in the kitchen just behind the counter. The shopping experience is highly visual. “They see exactly what they are putting in their basket and exactly what they are bringing home, and people like that,” Jess explained. At times, it’s so busy you can barely fit inside, but Jess loves her location and told us she will never leave.
If you’re a first-time visitor and unsure what to get, Jess says her favorite item is the Cobb Salad. “I have it in my fridge all the time,” she said.
My personal go-to is the California Sandwich, made with roasted turkey, avocado, dill, Havarti, tomato, sprouts and ranch, served on what may be the best bread I’ve ever tasted. More often than not, it’s gone before I even make it home. That’s how good it is. And I’d be lying if I said I ever leave with just one item. The chicken salad and pretzel chicken are also always in my basket. If you are interested in trying The Blonde Shallot experience but aren’t quite close enough to Little Silver, check out Jess’s second location in Sea Girt.
So why does grab-and-go work so well, and don’t people want to choose exactly what goes into their salad? Jess’s model proves that isn’t necessarily the case. The idea of designing your own salad sounds appealing, but do you really have the time to decide? I don’t.
“Everyone is in a hurry, everyone’s rushed, and everyone is looking to get somewhere,” Jess said. While her tiny space initially led her to offer only pre-packaged food simply because there wasn’t room to do anything else, it ultimately shaped the success of her business. Whether you’re feeding kids at home, living on your own, or just need something good to eat, pre-packaged food removes the thought and hassle from feeding ourselves. There’s no cooking required, and you know exactly what you’re getting.
What’s the Future for
The Blonde Shallot?
If you’re hoping for a Blonde Shallot location near you, you may just have to travel. Currently, Jess is focusing on her two locations, Little Silver and Sea Girt, and making them the best stores they can be. “I am currently enjoying what we’re doing,” she told us. But that may not be all. Jess is hungry for more. “I have other ideas that are outside of the box but still within my wheelhouse,” she said. “So eventually I would love another place where I can expand on those ideas.”
Whether you are new to Monmouth County, a lifelong resident, or just passing through, I recommend making a stop at The Blonde Shallot. You won’t be disappointed.
Jake Rallo, part of the Rallo family dining legacy, is managing partner of River Pointe Inn in Rumson.
The article originally appeared in the February 12 – 18, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
