Executive Chef at London Underground
Jill Mundry and her Sous Chef Brian Murphy
Jill Mundry is a twenty-four year old Executive Chef at the London Underground in Corning, NY. Jill is originally from Canandaigua, NY where she attended both elementary and high school. During Jill's high school years, she earned extra money working in various restaurants.
"Every chef needs to start out as a dishwasher and earn her way up." - Jill Mundry
Following Jill's high school graduation her future goals included attending college at SUNY Oneonta. However, Jill's attendance at SUNY Oneonta as a Bio-Chemistry Major only lasted for a semester. Jill soon discovered that her calling in life did not include a future occupation as a Biochemist. However, Jill was still undecided about her future plans. What would the future hold for Jill?
"After dropping out of SUNY Oneanta after my first semester , I returned home and decided to go to culinary school. I just up and decided to go to culinary school. Just up and decided one day I wanted cook. The person with the most influence upon my decision to pursue the culinary field was my mother. She's a great and awesome cook." - Jill Mundry
As a result, Jill decided to attend the Clarkson Culinary Institute and complete the rigorous two year program. Jill's true love was ignited by the culinary field. Showing her dedication and drive, Jill doubled her classes and graduated in nine months. Jill's class ratio typically consisted of four women to approximately nineteen men.
"My mother and stepfather were completely supportive of what I wanted to do. When I told them I wanted to go to culinary school, my mother thought it was fantastic and my stepfather was a little leery about it, but now that I am where I am, he's completely supportive of it." - Jill Mundry
Preceeding Jill's graduation from the Clarkson Culinary Institute she fulfilled her Externship in Canandaigua at the Canandaigua Inn on the Lake. Jill's Externship at the Canandaigua Inn on the Lake lasted for six months. Upon Jill's completion of her Externship at the Canandaigua Inn on the Lake, she accepted a job offer and continued to work full time there for four more years.
"It's more intimidating when you get into the actual work field. The culinary field is an extremely male dominated business and it still is. A lot of men don't think a women can be a chef or become a chef." - Jill Mundry
Soon after after her four years at the Canandaigua Inn on the Lake, she was hired at the Londen Underground as a Sous Chef. Ironically, the man that had hired her was once her supervisor at he Canandaigua Inn on the Lake before he came to the London Underground. Shortly after Jill's arrival at London Underground as a Sous Chef, she decided to leave after being offered the position as Executive Chef at Joe's restaurant in Ithaca, NY. Interestingly, after Jill's departure, the London Underground offered her a chance to return with the new position of Executive Chef and she accepted. Jill has now worked as the Executive Chef of the London Underground for a little over a year.
"Cooking is like my form of expression. I learned my basics in culinary school, but all my creativity and everything that I have is put into my food. At London Underground I get to plan the menu, I get to decide what's going to be done, I create the desserts, and I get to do pretty much everything. That's why I chose to become a chef as opposed to somebody who caters." - Jill Mundry
|
|
|
|
|
|