Campton Hills resident Mireille Gross-Page, 42, was at St. Charles East High School to watch her daughter, Haines eighth-grader Ingrid Gross, participate in a culinary cooking competition. She answered 10 questions from the Kane County Chronicle's Brenda Schory.
Where did you grow up? Elgin.
Pets? A cockatiel named Smokey, 10 gerbils and fish.
Who would play you in the movie of your life? Madonna.
First job? I bused tables at the Gasthaus Zur Linde in Elgin when I was 5 years old. I grew up in the business. I waited tables at 11, tended bar at 18. I grew up making apple strudel and serving beer and sauerkraut.
This was a German restaurant your family owned? My dad and mom and sister all lived in Austria in a little town called Kirchbach. He built a house out there and came here to make some money ... and got into the restaurant business. He was already a chef. He opened the Gasthaus Zur Linde in 1969. He died nine years ago ... and the restaurant was sold four years ago.
Now what do you do? I'm a kids' entertainer. I do balloon art and face painting. The Classy Clown.
As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? A veterinarian. I did not become that. I translated Arabic for the U.S. Air Force from age 24 to 29.
Favorite charity? American Cancer Society and anything with kids.
Favorite local restaurant? Old Town Pub and Eatery in Campton Hills.
What is an interesting factoid about yourself? I speak French, German, English, Spanish and Arabic.
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