Sunday, September 21, 2014
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Jeff Lange | The Vindicator : Poland native Jacqueline Wardle’s career goal was to become a top chef by the time she was 24 years old. At 23 she is already an executive chef at Isabela on Grandview, a high-end restaurant in Pittsburgh.
Ben McKenzie, right, and Robin Lord Taylor star in the new Fox series “Gotham.”
By Sean Barron
BOARDMAN
When she was 15, Jacqueline Wardle wrote in her journal that she had a goal of becoming a top chef when she was 24.
Several years later, however, she failed to reach part of her aspiration — but only because she achieved her wish at age 23.
“Cooking has no end game; you have to continue learning. It’s a very competitive field,” Wardle said about having become executive chef for Isabela on Grandview, a high-end restaurant atop Pittsburgh’s Mount Washington.
Wardle, who’s originally from Poland, spoke recently in Boardman about her experiences in the culinary field, including the ingredients that formed her love of preparing food.
In some respects, she was an atypical teenager. While many teens her age were enamored with musical groups such as the Spice Girls, Wardle, who calls herself “an old soul,” was listening to the likes of Frank Sinatra and Billie Holiday.
When she was 13, Wardle, who also was home-schooled, started taking cake-decorating classes. In addition, she learned clothing-alteration techniques and enjoyed sports and ice skating.
Wardle recalled that at age 15 or 16, she helped a priest at St. Dominic’s Church on Youngstown’s South Side prepare Friday meals for youth-ministry gatherings. It wasn’t long before his “high-end dinners” served to spice up her interest in cooking, she added.
A few years later, she found herself working for Nicolinni’s Ristorante in Boardman, where she began as a host. But Wardle knew where her true passion lay.
“When I turned 18, I immediately asked if I could be a cook there,” she added.
As a result, Wardle began by preparing salads. It wasn’t long, though, before that morphed into doing the same with steaks and fish dinners, she continued.
Further fueling Wardle’s career desire was a pastry chef at Nicolinni’s who exuded self-confidence, energy and enthusiasm, and quickly became a role model. The co-worker also encouraged Wardle to push herself to learn as much as possible, she continued.
Suffice it to say that the influence worked because in June 2012, she graduated from the prestigious International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh with a two-year associate degree and with double honors. From there, she held chef positions at The Club at Nevillewood, a private golf club in Presto, Pa., near Pittsburgh, as well as at two restaurants in Pittsburgh’s Strip District.
Afterward, Wardle said, she was brought in as a sous chef at Isabela’s. That eatery’s executive chef suffered a five-month illness, however, which led to Wardle’s running the eatery and taking that position, she said.
“I have a really great team. The restaurant, I love it to pieces,” Wardle said, adding that her responsibilities include taking care of food, beverage and labor costs, ordering the food, creating and planning menus for special occasions such as weddings, scheduling employees, opening and closing the restaurant and ensuring everything is in order for busy Friday and Saturday evenings.
Wardle often works 60 to 70 hours each week, but don’t think this hard-working young chef is resting on her laurels. She realizes that the industry continues to evolve and grow, which reinforces her desire to strive for perfection.
“I’m constantly pushing myself and soaking up knowledge like a sponge,” she explained.
Wardle also looks forward to Thanksgiving because she and her boyfriend, Nathan Schoedel, who’s a chef at another Pittsburgh eatery, love to combine their talents and cooking prowess for their families. Specifically, they prepare the turkey, stuffing, cheese plates and salads, she said.
“It’s definitely a chef’s holiday,” Wardle added with laughter.