CHEF JHAI’S MAKING A MEAL OF IT
JHAI DHILLON knows all about delivering the goods – he does it regularly, on a daily basis!
The Hitchin Town defender is on the road to becoming a success both on and off the pitch after launching his own successful meal prep business, delivering a healthy stable diet plan to many of his football adversaries.
The 24-year-old entrepreneur spotted a niche in the market while playing in League One at Stevenage when realising that many of his fellow professionals didn’t know what compromised of a balanced diet to bring out the best in their performance.
So, after joining forces with his mother, the former Chelsea youth opened his own commercial unit and now prepares and delivers pre-paid chilled meals to a host of sports stars and celebrities, including Leicester City’s Premier League winner Demarai Gray and Wycombe Wanderers striker Adebayo ‘The Beast’ Akinfenwa.
“My brother started a similar business with the students at Bristol University and it grew from there,” explained Dhillon, who is currently in his second spell at hometown club Hitchin having previously turned out for the likes of Aylesbury United, Royston Town, Hayes & Yeading and Chesham.
“We started off with just me and my Mum but slowly we brought in chefs, kitchen porters and delivery drivers and now we employ 16 people.
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“Eating healthily was always a passion of mine as a footballer but I realised at Stevenage there was a market for it so I knuckled down and brushed up on my knowledge on the subject. “Now we have many experts on board and a lot of footballers, in particular, have taken us up on it. It’s not just footballers though, anyone, from office workers, businessmen and women, and celebrities, people who probably don’t have the time to pop to the supermarket. Each meal is tailored individually to the client and their needs and requirements.”
But it’s not just football and preparing meals which keeps Dhillon on the go. He’s also a consultant for top accountancy firm EY Accounting – a gruelling work schedule which keeps him up all hours.
“It’s fair to say I’m pretty busy these days,” Dhillon added. “On a match day I’ll come into the unit for 7am and work until 1.15pm and then head off to the ground [at Hitchin].
“I’ll then go back to the unit after the game, put in a few more hours and then shut up shop. It’s all go.”