Heart on a Plate

My mission is to use all of my skills as a nurse and chef, to have a positive impact in the world.

Hi everyone, it’s Jill! I’m so happy that you stopped by to check out my Food, Friends and Philanthropy blog! Thank you so much for visiting… and welcome! I am really honored you are here!

I have been cooking since I was a little girl and have always been filled with big culinary dreams. I was blessed to have one of the very best cooks in my upbringing to learn from. I was fortunate to have an amazing mother, who loves to cook and bake and is incredibly good at it. She always has enjoyed experimenting with new recipes that she finds in newspapers, magazines, and from friends. From this came an exposure to my not fearing to try new foods, or try out new recipes, and this also ignited a curiosity inside me into the world of art, food styling, and creativity with food.

I have been a proud and dedicated Registered Nurse my entire life, starting my career off as a nurse on an extremely busy medical-surgical floor in a Level 1 trauma hospital right out of nursing school, and then moving onto various other fulfilling nursing jobs throughout the years. When not working, I always cooked fancy and gourmet foods at home, experimenting often with creating original recipes and adding artful touches to food whenever I could. Yet inside me I always dreamt of going to culinary school to learn advanced skills and techniques to add to my invisible tool belt. One day I just made the decision that I didn’t want to grow older and miss the chance to explore this really strong interest I had. I knew I wanted to do both careers with my life, as I see being a nurse and being a chef as very similar professions. As a nurse, I help a person’s physical body improve, get healthier, or feel more comfortable with great loving care. As a chef, I like to help and nurture a person’s heart and soul, or the invisible part of them, in addition to filling up their stomachs. So, I finally took the plunge and worked hard being the best nurse that I possibly could be while simultaneously going through culinary school. Fast forward to today… now I’m a happy Nurse-Chef!