How it started

Born in Bolton and raised on wholesome, traditional cuisine, self-taught chef Jade Greenhalgh always had a special place on the kitchen worktops, observing her father, an ex-chef, at work. This early exposure ignited her passion for food. Initially, Jade aspired to pursue a military career. However, her plans were abruptly halted when she contracted viral meningitis at the age of 14, leading to a year-long hiatus from education and dashing her hopes of joining the armed forces.

Jade subsequently took on a series of shorter-term positions, with her primary role in the field of education. During the day, she worked tirelessly while dedicating her nights to pursuing a degree. Another harrowing medical emergency in 2010, where Jade's life hung in the balance for the second time before she even turned 21, prompted her to re-evaluate her life's direction. She made the life-changing decision to follow her true passion: food. She saw it as a means of healing, learning, unleashing her creativity, and maintaining a positive outlook. It was from this decision that Jade's Bites was born.

Instagram

Lacking the requisite professional qualifications for a career in Hospitality & Catering and encountering numerous job application rejections, Jade faced additional challenges due to her short-term memory issues resulting from viral meningitis. Compounded by ongoing medical problems causing chronic pain and fatigue, her aspirations of working in a professional kitchen seemed to be slipping further from reach.

Undeterred, Jade harnessed her culinary passion and began sharing her recipes on her social media platforms. Slowly but surely, her Instagram following started to grow. Instagram provided her with a means to pursue her passion in a way that accommodated her unique lifestyle.

When the lockdown measures were enforced in 2021, Jade recognized the growing demand for budget-friendly, family-friendly recipes that featured readily available ingredients and were designed to make efficient use of leftovers. Encouraged by the overwhelmingly positive feedback from her followers, Jade knew she had found her calling. She embraced the role of inspiring her followers in their home kitchens, imparting the confidence and knowledge required for easy, stress-free, and affordable meal preparation.

Next Level Chef

Gordon Ramsay's "Next Level Chef" became a dream-come-true for Jade. It provided her with a platform to showcase her culinary creativity, passion, and ambition. In a remarkable turn of events, Jade emerged as the competition's victor in March 2023. As part of her prize, she is currently undertaking a year-long mentorship with esteemed chefs Paul Ainsworth, Nyesha Arrington, and Gordon Ramsay.

Reflecting on her unexpected success, she shared, "I never even expected to be a successful applicant and have the honour of even going on the show, never mind going on to win the whole competition. It's been a life-changing experience from the beginning to where I am now, and I am forever grateful to the mentors and Studio Global Ramsay." Jade.