Jill Garcia Schmidt has been with MKA since 2022 and is MKA’s Director of Culinary Services. Jill’s professional experience spans many culinary development disciplines and leading new equipment technologies with companies like Rational AG, Irinox and Henkelman. Jill is bi-lingual in Spanish and she works with an array of MKA clients across the United States and internationally.
She started her professional training with the Larkspur Restaurant in Wichita, Kansas, where she rose through the ranks from apprentice to cooking the line. Her next position was with Penguin’s Steaks and Spirits, an upscale steakhouse and martini bar, also in Wichita, where she rose from the line, learned butchery and rose to Sous Chef.
In 2001 Jill moved to Kansas City and joined the regional chain Jose Pepper’s as their director of catering. Jose Pepper’s operates two concepts Jose Pepper’s Cantina and Grill and the Cactus Grill. Jill worked across both concepts in senior positions until 2015, when she was promoted to be the executive chef for the Cactus Grill concept in Leawood, Kansas
In 2017 Jill left Jose Pepper’s to take a position as lead baker for the Great Harvest Bread Company in Prairie Village. Kansas, where she became an expert across all baking and pastry disciplines.
In 2018, Jill became the Executive Chef for the Culinary Center of Kansas City in Overland Park, Kansas. At the Culinary Center she was responsible for running programs, creating curriculums and instructing and overseeing classes and the development and management of their on-line teaching programs during the Covid 19 pandemic.
Jill is also an Executive Chef for the War Horses for Veterans organization where she works with and teaches veterans on special programs.