1. Your debut book, The Epicurean Journal, is described as a cookbook-meets-memoir. What inspired you to blend food with such personal storytelling?
Like music, food transports you to a time or place, it reminds you of memories, be it good or bad. Have you ever eaten something and you stop for a brief second and say, This reminds me of my granny, mom, cousin, or aunt. Food is love, food unites, and food sparks memories. Combining food with storytelling came naturally to me as the kitchen was the space where I shared memories with my granny, my mother, and above all, the kitchen became my crutch, my support … No matter how imperfect I felt, I could always create something perfect in the kitchen.
2. You’ve been open about your journey through trauma, including sexual assault and infertility. What gave you the courage to speak so honestly, and how has it shaped your work today?
To be honest, I never had the courage; it was only to be a cookbook. However, as I was writing the recipes, the memories were triggered, and I wrote a little intro to each recipe and what it triggered. It was to be my legacy, something I leave behind once I leave this earth. Then, through all of this, it helped me heal, helped me grow, and helped me to forgive the past traumas.
It also helped me to document the precious memories of my granny and, through that, made me feel closer to her. How did all this shape my work today? To be honest, I do not know. What I do know it helped me to stand in the light. To stand in my truth and to be authentically me. It gave me healing and made me more confident, and it made me realise that vulnerability is not a weakness but a great strength.
3. In your view, how can cooking and food serve as a tool for healing and emotional expression?
Simple food is love. In those moments when you are chopping that onion, you chop all your frustration and the tears flow, and the excuse is the onions make my eyes tear, but yet it is the tears of hurt, frustration, or fear that are flowing freely, and you can blame the onion. Food is so expressive. As you go through the process of cooking, I process my feelings and emotions and get the clarity I need. Trust me, the kitchen has the answers, it stills my mind, and I can create something tantalizing even in my imperfect state because food is love.
4. Your events and classes often combine culinary experiences with open conversations. Why is that intersection important to you?
The kitchen is the heart of the home. Think about it, where do you and your friends or family end up, in the kitchen? The kitchen is warm, and it somehow feeds the soul. I have the best laughs with my friends and family in the kitchen. I have also cried my best cries in the kitchen alone or with my friends and family. Hence, for me, that intersection is important because the kitchen is the space I feel most at home AND SAFE.
5. Your new event, Look at Me Now, launches this August. What can attendees expect, and what does the event represent for you personally?
I did an event called Look at Me Now 2 years ago, and I felt it should be repeated as we grow and change, we are ever evolving. Spring is always a time for renewal, the flowers are in bloom, the sun is showing its face, and we all feel that we can tackle the world. It is an opportunity to show my growth, that I am not defined by what has happened to me, because this life I have been blessed with is filled with hope and opportunity. God designed this path for me.
The details of what to expect for this event we are still working on, but at the past event we had live music, we had good food, some lovely bubbles, and I read from my book, we shared moments, we laughed, danced, and cried. It is not only for women, however, but for all ages and all sexes. It is for people who want to celebrate each other and what life has given us. We celebrate our wins and our failures in a safe space free from judgement.
6. Kitchen Table Talk creates space for women to gather and share. What have been some of the most powerful moments you’ve witnessed during these sessions?
I cannot tell yet what the most powerful moments whereas the first Kitchen Table Talk will only happen in September 2025. However, what I would like people to experience is a safe and judgement-free space. A space where your tears can roll, or we laugh uncontrolled, or both at the same time. I would always like to change the narrative that the kitchen is for ladies; the kitchen is the space where you create memories with the people you love most. The kitchen is the space where you grow into the best version of yourself. I want the guest to leave my kitchen feeling empowered and lighter than when they first stepped into my kitchen, but I want each person to feel the love.
7. You’re currently rebranding from ‘Chef Jill’ to Jill Van As. What prompted this shift, and how does it reflect where you are in your journey?
The world is filled with titles; everyone seeks a title. My accomplishments do not define me, like what has happened to me does not define me. I want you to get to know me, Jill van As, Holistically. For me, it means freedom, free from all expectations, free from being held or kept to a standard set by others or who I am expected to be. It is Liberating… The only title I live up to is being authentically Jill van As. Chef Jill is one of the layers of Jill van As. I have always been Jill before becoming Chef Jill, and yes, I have worked hard for that title, but it is only a part of who I am.
8. As someone moving into writing, speaking, and even radio, how do you stay rooted in your purpose while exploring new platforms?
The kitchen is my crutch, and as I know that cooking for a living will have its end as it is taxing on my body, like most things in life have an end. Exploring or moving into the different spaces also keeps me rooted in my purpose. Writing, I share my knowledge, my experiences, and my journey through food and love. Speaking is the same as my writing, it is another platform of sharing through love, and radio can be the medium a powerful tool to reach and share through love. I am rooted in love, and all things done in love serve the purpose of caring, being kind, and helping others through my story.
9. You co-own Vibe Events and Catering with your husband. What’s it like building a business with a partner, and how do you balance the personal and professional?
WoW, this is tough yet easy, if I am making sense. Building a business with my husband is easy as we both work towards a common goal, to be successful and build a life together. Trust comes naturally as we have one common goal. However, balancing work and home can be tough as I am the same Jill in both spaces, so yes, at times the disagreements come home, the brain at times does not switch off, and we sit and discuss work at the dinner table or in bed. Oh, let me not forget the power struggles, but saying all of that, we must keep each other accountable and in check and set boundaries, which is not easy.
So we do simple things like at work, we do not refer to my husband or my wife, this is my business partner, Garry. I am not your wife at work; get your own lunch, for example. When at home, we will stop each other and say, Let’s talk about this at the office in the morning. Boundaries are very important. However, saying all of that, I cannot or could not ask for a better partner in business or life. Somehow, it works for us, and we had great examples as both our parents built a business together. So, it somehow came naturally to us.
10. What’s one behind-the-scenes lesson you’ve learned about running a culinary business that people might not expect?
The acceptance that you cannot please everyone’s palate, no matter who you are, you can be the 5-star Michelin chef. Each guest has their own unique palate.
11. You have a second book in the works. Can you share a glimpse into what readers can expect from it?
I do not want to give away too much, but I can say that there will be fewer recipes and the full story of the short stories in my first book.
12. What message do you most hope women walk away with after hearing your story or attending your events?
You are not defined by what has happened to you; you are so much more than that. If I could work through rape, fertility treatment, loss, and all that trauma and become an entrepreneur, a published author, be on television and radio, you can do it too. LOOK AT ME NOW! I am bolder and stronger.
