Nine To Noon Award winning family recipes
Nov 16, 2025
Jill Hermansen, the founder of Jill's Complements, is a trained chef with a rich background, including positions in prestigious London venues. In this engaging conversation, she shares the heartwarming story behind her family's cooking traditions and the creation of her award-finalist Rustic Seed Crackers. Jill reveals anecdotes from her time serving royals and celebrities, and discusses her decision to pivot from a promising career working for Gordon Ramsay to start her own food business in Whanganui, driven by her family's cherished recipes.
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Family Kitchen Roots
- Jill grew up in a large family where cooking skills were shared across generations, including her grandfather who could "whip up a sponge."
- Her childhood included abundant home preserving of peaches, apricots and plums led by her mum and nana.
International Chef Career
- Jill trained as a chef in Christchurch then worked in Japan and London, including the QE2 conference centre and Royal Albert Hall.
- She cooked for high-profile guests like Nelson Mandela and saw royals during a Jubilee event.
Turning Down A High-Profile Offer
- Jill was offered a job through a colleague to work for Gordon Ramsay but chose to go to Dublin instead.
- She spent ten years in Dublin and loved the experience there.