It is with deep sadness that I write to share the news regarding the unexpected death of one of our Dining employees, Crown Merrill Sous Chef, Ian McNeilly.
Notification of Ian’s passing came from his father Tom. Ian was just 36 years old. At this time, the family is asking for privacy and time to grieve this tragic loss.
Ian started his career at UCSC on September 20, 2018 at Rachel Carson Dining Hall and over the last four years has worked at just about every Dining Hall. Ian became interested in cooking at a very young age watching “Yan Can Cook” on public television. His interest intensified by the Food Network, Ian entered culinary school at the age of 16. With 18 years of professional cooking experience, Ian competed in the Dining Services Culinary Challenge.
His bio reads in part “I have learned many things from my career but the foremost of them is not a culinary technique; it is the understanding that the curiosity I felt as a young child watching a man with a knife turn a cucumber into a flower is what drives innovation in all fields. So learn as much as you can, from whoever you can, about whatever you can.”
Ian’s wife Margaret said of her husband “Ian was as passionate a father as he was a chef.”
All of us will sorely miss Ian and our UCSC Dining Family offer our sincere condolences to the McNeilly Family.
Sad and shocking news can often be difficult to process. We encourage staff who wish to speak with someone to call the Employee Assistance Program at (866) 808-6205.
