Alumni Spotlight: Eli Pulley

by Cassie Berchtold

Elementary school, junior high, and then finally high school, but what comes next? Often times, after high school, the school and community lose track of where students have gone and what they are doing in their everyday life. One of these students who passed through the doors of Princeville High School is 2015 graduate Eli Pulley.

Pulley is entering his final semester at Illinois Central College in the Culinary Arts Program. In addition to school, Pulley is currently employed full time at The Country Club of Peoria as a chef, and is a Culinary Intern at the Union League Club of Chicago.

His goal is to “move to Chicago full time after graduation and continue working and learning from chefs in the area, [because] Chicago has a fantastic food scene and there are 22 Michelin star restaurants in the city.” Through his journey, he has learned things he didn't expect to learn such as “patience, not only with other people, but with [himself] as well.”

And with every successful career story comes a mentor who has helped or pushed them towards their success. For Pulley, it was his dad.

“Growing up, my dad was an Executive Chef. Watching him work and dedicate himself to the industry taught me a lot about work ethic and watching him do what loved helped me become the cook I am today,” Pulley said.

Mirroring his dad’s dedication might be why Pulley was selected as the American Culinary Federation (ACF) Young Chef of the month. But this accomplishment did not just happen in a day.

Pulley explains that “chefs put a lot of work into what they do, sometimes they will spends hours making the components of a dish that takes you five minutes to eat.”

With all of Pulley’s success this far, we continue to wish him the best of luck as he finishes school and proceeds into a competitive industry that calls for all or nothing dedication.