DETROIT – From his hospital bed, renowned Detroit chef and community activist Phil Jones is already thinking about his return to the work that has defined his career of service to others.
“I’m looking forward to getting past it and re-establishing the work that I do, but really getting to enjoy the second half of my life,” Jones said as he prepares for open heart surgery following a January heart attack.
Jones, whose culinary career includes working as a chef at Detroit restaurants like the Rattlesnake Club and Fishbones, has shifted his focus to nonprofit work in recent years.
His involvement spans organizations, including the Detroit Food Policy Council and Keep Growing Detroit.
After news of his heart attack spread, colleagues rallied to support him, launching a GoFundMe campaign that has raised more than $16,000.
“He has health insurance, but you know there’s deductibles, there’s co-pays, there’s loss of income,” said Cheryl Simon, Interim Executive Director of the Detroit Food Policy Council. “He will need every dollar. I just feel like he’s taken care of so many people that it’s time for us to kind of step up and take care of him.”
Among those touched by Jones’s mentorship is Jermond Booze, who works with the Detroit Food Academy and is a winner of Food Network’s “Chopped.”
Booze credits Jones for inspiring his return to the culinary industry, describing him as a father figure.
“I believe that giving to Phil is giving to the cultural, culinary legacy inside the city of Detroit because what he brings and what he gives is a unique skill set, and we need it around as long as possible,” Booze said.
Booze said he met Jones while working at Whole Foods and that Jones motivated him to get back to working in restaurants.
“I had left working in restaurants, and I would only cook when I was working at Whole Foods at that point,” Booze said. “He would always kind of challenge me to get back into becoming a chef.”
Jones says the support he’s received from the community during his time of need has been overwhelming.
“I’m moved,” Jones said. “You set out on this journey in life, and you never really have real expectations, and to see that you’ve actually had an impact warms my heart.”
You can donate to support Jones by clicking here.