"I came back here because it's my food. It's the kind of stuff that I was trained to do, the fine dining, and not anything less. So, that's what I do." - Jill Mundry
Jill is happy and content where she is currently, being an Executive Chef at only twenty-four years old. When we asked about the differences between working in a big city and an area like this, Jill openly admitted that it would be much more difficult for someone her age to get a job within an upscale restaurant in a big city. She is proud of her accomplishments thus far, to be in charge of a three-diamond restaurant like the London Underground. Jill said that if she tried to go into a city to get a job at a good restaurant, even with her Executive Chef experience, she would do no better than as a line cook.
"It's damned near impossible to break into this business and go fine dining." - Jill Mundry
When Jill described her typical work work to us, we knew then that this woman was determined and strong and absolutely loved what she did. Her work schedule, though only five days a week, sounds punishing and exhausting to the average person. On average, Jill puts about 50-65 hours a week into the London Underground. Most of that time is spent standing before a hot stove, fighting to get through the peak rush hours. Three of the five work days, she has what she calls a "split". She comes in at 8am and will work until three in the afternoon, then come back again two hours later at 5 and work until closing, which is around 10 or 11 at night. If that isn't devotion, we aren't sure what is!
"It's extremely hard to have a relationship and work 70 hours a week. It's extremely hard. It takes a special kind of guy to understand, you know, the dedication that I have." - Jill Mundry
With this rigorous lifestyle having such a demand upon Jill's time, we found ourselves asking how she manages her personal time with family and romance. With a tired laugh, Jill described two relationships that did not work out as planned. She was engaged once and at another time, she lived with another chef, but neither of those attempts at romance worked out. But even with those experiences behind her, Jill did not seem to have a negative feeling about romance or her job.
"It's a hard business to be in. You really have to find someone that understands what it's like to have to work long hours and be committed and practically live and breathe your job everyday. So...it's not easy. Definitely not easy." - Jill Mundry
When it all comes down to it, Jill is extremely proud of herself and her work and we cannot blame her. She is an extremely driven and skilled woman, accomplishing just what she wants to do. Her food is her art, job, and love and she is not willing to compromise that for anything else. Jill is where she wants to be in life at this point. The woman we spoke to is definitely accomplished and strong.
"It's a huge accomplishment to be an executive chef and to be in a three diamond restaurant creating food, doing what you're trained to do...I've been trained by some of the greatest chefs in upstate New York..." - Jill Mundry
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