Bringing Light to the Table
Welcome to my corner of the internet--where faith meets food, grief meets growth, and sparkle meets storytelling. I'm Delia Jo: a journalist, creator, and queso queen on a mission to find beauty in the broken, joy in the ordinary, and meaning in every bite. From Southern kitchens to spirit-led journeys, this is a space for truth-telling, taste-testing, and transformation. Come hungry. Leave seen.
About Me
My name is Delia Jo
Hey y'all! I'm Delia Jo, a Southern food and travel writer, storyteller, and recovering people-pleaser learning to live loud, light, and alcohol-free.
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For the last 15+ years, I've told stories about food--and now I tell stories THROUGH it. I've written for places like Food & Wine, Modern Luxury, Eater, Modern South, TripAdvisor, NewsBreak, but my favorites stories are the ones you can taste. You know the ones -- they smell like Sunday lunch after church, sound like 1980s country, and feel like breathing again.
I'm also:
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A late diagnosed autistic woman navigating grief, neurodivergence, and the sparkle in between
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The Co-Founder of the Sparkle Effect -- a kindness initiative and creative boutique built from loss, love, and disco balls
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The author of Nashville Cocktails, the book that released the week I quit drinking booze
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A firm believer that queso can be holy and karaoke can be healing
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A FEW THINGS THAT FEED ME:
Melted cheese
Real conversations over real food
Stories of survival, second chances, and soft mornings
Tipping musicians and hospitality workers a little extra
My husband Ryan and my two cats, Jasper and Stetson
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WHY I DO THISL
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After losing my Mama, I found my voice again in the kitchen -- and at the keyboard. I believe food can be sacred, grief can be shared, and joy deserves to sparkle, even in the dark. If you're walking thorough something tough, I want this to be a place where you feel less alone. If you're here just for the biscuits -- that's fine too. I get it.
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