OUR STORY
Jeff Ford, C.E.C.
Owner, J. Ford’s Black Angus
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Chef Jeff and Kelly Ford
Jeff was encouraged at a very young age to try new things. Through his father’s work and his mother’s love for good food, he was fortunate to be exposed to some very good restaurants and world-class cuisine.
Jeff’s first experience with cooking was at the young age of 17 frying chicken in the back of a semi trailer for a catering company and he has worked in the food service industry ever since. While pursuing a Business Degree at Indiana State, Jeff worked as a Sous Chef at Larry Bird’s MVP Club, which was notable for its quality of food. While there, Jeff received a letter of praise from a writer for Gourmet Magazine who also asked for one of his recipes to include in an upcoming issue.
After graduating from ISU, Jeff decided to become a chef. He was on his way to Culinary School in Poughkeepsie, New York, when he became ill and was diagnosed with a very rare form of Leukemia. His deteriorating health put those plans on hold for almost two years while he was in and out of hospitals battling the disease. Then for no apparent reason after learning that his first child was on her way, Jeff started to get better.
Jeff moved his family to Louisville where he took a job as Sous Chef at Churchill Downs. He then was hired as Executive Chef at the Audubon Country Club in Louisville, one of the top Clubs in Kentucky.
For 12 years, Jeff was the Certified Executive Chef/Director of Restaurant operations at the Country Club of Terre Haute. He has been a Certified Executive Chef and member of the American Culinary Federation since 1997. In 2006, he competed against 11 top Country Club Chefs in the Ohio Valley Club Managers Association and took the top award.
Kelly Ford
Owner, J. Ford’s Black Angus
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Kelly has worked in restaurants and catering most of her adult life with the exception of her job at Clear Channel Outdoor as a Senior Account Executive. She started out in high school working in fast food. In college, she worked at what was then Richard’s Townhouse, and later for Marriott Food Service in their Catering division. In between this and going to college, she also coached swimming for Wabash Valley Swim Club. After graduating, she moved to a full time position as a supervisor where she opened Generations Restaurant at the ISU Food Court.
After that, Kelly moved to Indianapolis and worked as a Corporate Server Trainer for Mountain Jack’s Restaurant chain helping to open new restaurants. She was also an assistant manager when not traveling.
The corporate world called and she moved into various sales jobs ranging from fax machines to Clear Channel where she sold outdoor advertising for 14 years. She enjoyed working and living in Indianapolis but always loved the restaurant environment and wanted to return to the food service business. She now works full time at J. Ford’s Black Angus running the front of the house operations.
Together, Jeff and Kelly opened J. Ford’s Black Angus on October 16, 2007. So far they’ve had a ball and plan on continuing to do so for a long time…