THE EARLY YEARS

From as young as the tender of 11 years, food has always been my passion! 

I remember racing home from school at lunchtimes to make lunch. My friends would always follow me home and they became my first audience, my customers and my critics. I loved the fact that they loved my food and that drove me to cook and experiment more and more. Experimenting, I would cook whatever was in the fridge, cupboard and garden to combine foods and flavours, seasonings, sampling and then serving. Just because I loved to cook. 

Coming from Jamaican parentage, flavour was something that was a given in every meal that we ate; both my parents were what we call ‘foodies’ today and I followed in their love of food. My mum was always cooking; and it was never just for us. It was for the people who would visit; friends, family and the community we lived in. My Dad grew things from scratch in our back garden - yes, organic and fresh! - and I would plant with him. Dropping the seeds in the ground, watering them and watching, watering them and waiting. It was a process of patience, one that taught me many life lessons and when I saw that vegetable appear it was like nothing that I can explain. Fresh and organic produce is something I literally grew up with; it taught me that good food shouldn’t be rushed. 

This was the start of my journey to becoming a Chef.