Jill Stevens, General Manager
Jill Stevens didn’t have to journey far from her hometown of Amory, Mississippi to Oxford.
Despite growing up in a Mississippi State family, Jill bucked the family tradition of Starkville, the Bulldogs, and traveling the Golden Triangle; opting instead for Ole Miss, the Rebels, and the roundabouts of Oxford. “I had to tell my father in church,” Jill says of her decision.
While earning her Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Jill worked part-time at Smitty’s Café just off the Oxford Square. Perhaps a bit foreshadowing, Jill served tables during the breakfast shift. “I loved seeing the same people coming in for coffee everyday, and I enjoyed taking care of people…before I knew it everyone was calling me ‘Mama Miley.’”
Jill completed her Masters in taxation in 2004 and then began a series of turning down job offers with anything pertaining to accounting. “It wasn’t my true passion,” Jill acknowledges, adding, “I thought my father was going to disown me…or at the very least ask for his money back.”
To make ends meet, Jill began serving tables at Bouré while outlining her next move. Little did she know that after meeting a bartender named Drew after her second day on the job, she would carve out a place for herself in John Currence’s restaurant family. Jill quickly excelled at Bouré, moving from serving to bartending, and eventually managing. “I loved the challenging pace and treasured the customers. “
After marrying that friendly bartender in 2007, Jill left Bouré in Spring of 2008 to open Big Bad Breakfast with Currence. Affectionately known as “Bi g Bad Mama,” Jill enjoys early morning sunrises with strong coffee, and welcoming friends with her smiling face to start their day.
Jason Nicholas, Chef
Born in Atlanta in 1973, Jason moved to the Oxford area in 1983. He graduated from Lafayette High School in 1991, and attended the University of Mississippi in the BFA program before starting work for John Currence, washing dishes at City Grocery in 1993. Between 1993-1996, Jason worked briefly in graphic design, construction and a host of other trades before deciding to pursue a career in the culinary arts. He returned to work for Currence, taking over the AM sous chef position (affectionately referred to as Big Dog) in 2000, where he worked until 2008 when he was offered the opportunity to help open Big Bad Breakfast, which he happily accepted.
Kirk Lovejoy, Charcuterie
Kirk has a vast array of restaurant experience, from short-order to fine dining. Kirk started cooking in 1991 while attending the Memphis Culinary Academy. He worked in restaurants in Columbus, Tupelo, Vicksburg, MS before enrolling in Johnson & Wales University in Charleston, SC. He moved back to Oxford in 1997 and began working for John Currence. His experiences include City Grocery (sous chef), Bouré (head chef), and Woody’s on the Water (head chef). His most recent experience has been starting the charcuterie program for both Big Bad Breakfast and Snackbar beginning in 2008.
