Chef's Corner Magazine, Fall 2018, V1, Issue 2

from Chef's Corner Magazine, Fall 2018, V1, Issue 2

by Chef's Corner Magazine

CELEBRATING THE HAITIAN CHEF & GASTRONOMY

FALL 2018

PASTA DI MARE p. 28

Contents FALL 2018

DEPARTM ENTS

A Word from t he Chef with Chef Alain Lemaire

Ripe & Ready 8 Squash Varieties to Include to your diet.

Im pressum

Recipes

Publisher 's Not e

Chef of t he Season Chef Christopher Viaux

Chef 's Favorit e Chef Alaimn Lemaire's Squash and Pumpkin Soup

Art isan of t he Season Peggy Joseph (Creole Caribbean Queen)

Eat This, Not That Oh, My Gourd!

WORD from the CHEF

CHEF ALAIN LEM AIRE

Lemaire Hospitality Group

Chef Lemaire is an award winning chef and contestant of the Food Network's hit series Cutthroat Kitchen. He is the Co-owner and Executive Chef of Sensory Delights and Arome, both food service companies based out of South Florida and Haiti respectively.

IT'S HARVEST SEASON!This is the time of year farmers collect their squash crops in abundance. And since they are also rich in flavor and health benefits, we highlighted this wonderfully versatile ingredient.

FEATURES

A Chat w it h Grow n In Hait i founder Sidney Et ienne

PASTA DI POLLO p. 15

Publisher & Editor Carl BazelaisManaging Edit or Katleen Valmond-Bazelais

Contributors Keu Reyes, Chef Alain Lemaire, Chef Japhet Roy, Chef Thia Verna, Chef Olivier Paultry, Chef Anser Pierre Louis, Chef Christopher Viaud, Peggy Joseph (CCQ)

Photographers

Alfred Schrock, Phil Hearing, Laurence Mouton,Molly Watson, Alanna Taylor-Tobin, Isabelle Boucher, Nadine Primeau

Subscriptions Print & Digital ServicesChefsCornerMagazine@gmail.com

Editorial Board Members

Alain Lemaire, Lemaire Hospitality Group Carl Bazelais, Bonspoon Media Katleen Bazelais, Zeal Apparel Co Keu Reyes, Artistic Warfare Vladimir Tilme, General Mills

Graphic Design Bonspoon Media

Chef?s Corner Magazine is published quarterly by Bonspoon Media, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be used without written permission by the publisher. Every effort was made to avoid errors, misspellings, and omissions. If an error comes to your attention, please accept our apologies and notify us immediately.

Thank you.

Publisher's Note

FALL 2018

Every season has its trends and beauty. Fall is a time that is most pleasant. It comes with an abundance of crops and splendors.

In this fall issue we covered the various types of squash and the best way to cook them. We selected a few yummy recipes to share with you from the Haitian chefs in our community, along with a word from Chef Alain Lemaire and his favorite seasonal dish.

We are highlighting two entrepreneurs; Peggy Joseph and Chef Christopher Viaud who shared with us their passion for Haitian cuisine. We also caught up with Sidney Etienne of Grown In Haiti whose organization focuses on planting trees as part of their mission for Haiti?s self-sufficiency.

Followus!

chef scor ner m ag @chef scor ner m ag chef scor ner m ag

Chef 's FavoriteCreamy Squash Soup

by Chef Al ai n Lem ai r e.

DELICIOUS ANDFANCY!

INGREDIENTS:

24 oz pumpkin 16 oz vegetable stock 6 oz heavy cream 6 oz unsalted butter 4 oz celery stalk 4 oz carrots 1 sprig of thyme 1 sprig of parsley 8 oz potato gnocchi Salt and pepper

In a stock pot, add pumpkin (reserve some and cut into dices), 1/ 2 vegetable stock, celery, carrot, thyme, and parsley.

Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Once the pumpkin is tender, turn off heat.

In a food processor, blend all ingredients until smooth. Strain if

necessary.

In a fresh pot, add blended pumpkin. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add 4oz unsalted butter and adjust seasoning.

In a pot, boil gnocchi in the remainder of the vegetable stock. Strain, then sauté in brown butter with diced pumpkin.

Pour soup in a bowl, add gnocchi and diced pumpkin.

2018. Fall - 6- www.ChefsCornerMagazine.com

Oh, My Gour d!

There are 27 species of squash varieties.

When we think of squash, only a few of the Cucurbita genus varieties come to mind. However, there are a bunch more.

In fact, there are 27 species of squash, and 6 of which are widely recognized and domesticated. All around the world, in culinary traditions, the gourd is used because of its versatility and many different meals. In Haitian gastronomy, the gourds are used to make our traditional meal like Soup Joumou which Haitians across the four corners of the world will make the most effort to participate in the celebration of our independence by indulging with a creamy, hearty bowl and deliciousness of this squash soup.

Although there are dozens of types of squash varieties, the ones that are most common and nutritious are the butternut

squash, Hubbard squash, spaghetti squash, Kabocha squash, Calabaza squash, acorn squash, Delicata squash, and the pumpkin. These gourds are tasty and so are their seeds. Which make them one of the most nutritionally rich vegetable

by-product ranging from calcium to protein with health benefits like the prevention of prostate cancer and digestive issues. And guess what, you can also use them as an aphrodisiac.

So overall, the squash or pumpkin varieties are nutritiously wonderful produce to add to your diet.

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Ripe & Ready

8 Types Of Squash To IncludeIn Your Diet

Acor n Squash

The flesh is moist, sweet and tender. It is perfect for roasting, baking, steaming, mashing, and saut eeing.

Butter nut Squash

The flesh is sweet with a thick, bright orange, moist flesh. It is best roasted, mashed and purees smoot hl y.

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Ripe & Ready

Calabaza Squash

The flesh has a sweet flavor and its texture is firm. Its taste and texture are similar to the butternut and acorn. It is best baked or roast ed.

Delicata Squash

The flesh is sweet, nutty, and a bit drier than other squash. It has a distinct corn-like flavor. It can be stuffed, roasted or baked with butter, maple syrup, and cinnamon.

Hubbar d Squash

Their flesh is remarkably sweet with a clear pumpkin flavor. They are best when roast ed.

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Ripe & Ready

Kabocha Squash

Sweet and tender with a slightly nutty flavor, and it is best raosted or baked.

Spaghetti Squash

The flesh is slightly crisp, noodle-like strands once cooked. It is best roasted or baked but coul d al so be boil ed.

Sweet Dumpling Squash

Starchy with a smooth texture, sweet with a slight corn flavor. Perfect for stuffing, roasting, and serving as an appetizer or side dish.

2018. Fall - 10- www.ChefsCornerMagazine.com

Feature

A chat wit h Gr own In Hait i's Sidney Et ienne

by Keu Reyes

In recent years, Haiti has been growing as a country, both politically and economically. Slowly but surely, growth is essential for any prosperous nation, and it keeps mediocrity and stagnation from settling in. However, when you learn about the organization Grown in Haiti, you will find that their definition of growth is not philosophical, but rather, in its literal sense. According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of Grown is to be cultivated or produced in a specified way or locality. The Grown in Haiti organization literally grows plants and trees as part of their mission for Haiti?s self-sufficiency. They also have began an innovative and comprehensive Seed-Library. Grown in Haiti believes that more vegetation in Haiti leads to more food for the people, and it would be foolish to disagree.

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I had t he pl easur e t o askSidney Et ienne, Gr own inHait i?s f ounder , a f ewquest ions about t heor ganizat ion.

Can you tell us brieflyabout yourself and whatGrown in Haiti its about?

I was born and raised in a Haiti that has long since been forgotten. The original purpose of creating Grown in Haiti was simply to showcase the abundance and varieties of food-bearing trees that still exists, in contrast to the media?s emphasis that ?Haitians eat trees.?

Our mission has always been to increase the capacity of our community to feed itself wholesome food by adding to the replenishment and diversity of food-bearing trees, and now has grown to also being an accessible and free source of locally adapted plant seeds in the form of a seed library.

We plan to establish a repository of seeds to offer free access to open-pollinated, organic seeds for growing food,

flowers, herbs and native plants as well as to develop an educational community garden and center where we can collectively develop locally resilient plants, while providing all the necessary information, instruction and education about sustainable agriculture and seed-saving in hopes to making our community more self-sufficient during uncertain times.

What results do you hope tosee from your efforts in 5years? 20 years? 100years?

We?re currently ending our 4th year. If you asked me where I saw myself in 10 years then, I would have said that I would be tasting the first fruit from a tree

I?ve planted. It surprisingly only took two years for that to happen. And if you asked me 10 years ago, as a photographer, if I?d see myself planting trees, I probably would have laughed. The future is uncertain. I can only hope that everyone starts seeing how capable they are of changing their reality.

Most people know thatregrowing the forest andpreserving it?s extremelyimportant for theenvironment. Are there anyeconomic benefits, as well?If so, what would be someof those benefits.

If you want to talk abouteconomic benefit to growingfood forests, just go out to agrocery store and try to buy asoursop. More so, if everyoneis growing their own trees,think about all the savingsfrom not having to purchasethese expensive marketfruits. A 15 lbs jackfruit inNYC goes for $135 USD,when jackfruit is in season,each tree is literally coveredin fruits that can grow up to

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200 lbs! I think the math ispretty simple but the goal isself-reliance and foodsecurity.

Having a fresh supply ofnatural ingredients isimportant to any chef. Howmuch more control would achef have over hisingredients if he growsthem himself? Is it possibleto be able to do both, be achef and a grower?

Chef?s would have ultimate control over the ingredients by growing it themselves. You can literally breed your crops to the point of getting the exact results you?d want every time. Consistency is key to any professional, and that includes a chef. There would be no better way to control that in the kitchen other than knowing exactly how your ingredients were bred and cultivated as well as how to repeat those results. For centuries, people have been cooking meals directly from what they?ve grown, including myself. A simple Google search provides you quite a long list of restaurants owned by chefs who are doing just this. It is not only possible, but I think it should be way more common than the cans and microwaves currently found in restaurant kitchens.

What are some of theunique-to-Haiti plants,fruits or vegetables thatGrown in Haiti isgrowing/cultivating? Doany of these, if any, have aplace in a global market?

Through what I?ve learned through these past few years, I don?t think there in anything specifically unique to anywhere, tropical trees are grown in Russian greenhouses, and I?ve found trees supposedly native to Madagascar growing abundantly here. Regardless of what grows here, before thinking of the global market, we need to take care of our local market first and foremost.

How can people help Grownin Haiti achieve itsmission?

The best way to support us and this world is to start in your own backyard. Plant a fruit tree for your community or plant a garden from your home. These little acts will change the world in ways you can?t even begin to imagine. We also keep our doors open for anyone with the motivation to learn and grow by welcoming

volunteers. Some people who aren?t able to physically add their hands to the soil with us choose to give a hand by either providing us with necessary supplies, such as tools, seeds, first aid, etc. Or by sending a monetary donation via our website: GrowniHaiti.com

Many of the crops grown here were brought over by slaves and immigrants from their homeland. The only connection that a lot of us have to our homes is through food. The stories and traditions connected to our meals are often just as important as the food itself. We should continue the time-honored tradition of sharing seeds as well as our stories.

Where can people find andcontact Grown in Haiti insocial media?Grown in Haiti canprimarily be found onInstagram, Facebook, &Twitter via @growninhaitiAlso through our websiteGrownInHaiti.com. I keep afairly good response ratevia social media but I canalso be emailed atgrowninhaiti@gmail.com

2018. Fall - 14- www.ChefsCornerMagazine.com

RecipesRecipes

Mushr oom Pumpkin Pappar del l e & Gar l ic Shr imp

By Chef Japhet Roy

Ingr edients

2 lbs of r aw shr im ps 2/ 3 cup boiling water 1/ 2 cup of dr ied Por cini M ushr oom 1 Pum pk in, cut m edium dice 8 ounce uncook ed Pappar delle pasta 2 Gar lic cloves m inced Par sley 1 cup of Pank o br eadcr um bs 1 table spoon of Olive oil 1/ 4 cups of chopped shallots 1/ 4 cup heavy cr eam 1/ 2 teaspoon cr ack ed black pepper

Pr eper ation

1. Rinse m ushr oom and sautéed in olive oil for 5 m inutes and set aside.

2. Cook pasta with 1 tablespoon of salt for 10 m inutes and set aside after dr ink ing in colander

3. In a sk illet heat oil and add shallots , m ushr oom and gar lic, cook for 5 m inutes

4. Stir fr equently. Add 1/ 4

heavy cr eam

5. Peel pum pk in and cut it in m edium dice. Sautéed in sk illet for 10 m inutes and set aside. Use paper to dr ain the oil after it?s cook ed.

6. Clean and devein shr im ps and cook s for 10 m inutes.

7. Com bine all together in a sk illet and stir slowly to not br eak the pasta.

8. W hen r eady to ser ve add sautéed br eadcr um bs with

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Recipes

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Tomat o Bisque & Rust ic Gr il l ed Cheese

By Chef Christopher Viaud

Ingr edients

Soup: - 8 heirloom

tomatoes - 3 cups tomato sauce - 1 small red onion - 3 celery stalks - 10 garlic cloves - 8 ounces unsalted butter - ½ cup all-purpose flour - 1 tablespoon tomato paste - 1-quart vegetable stock

- 4 ounces parmesan rind (optional)

- 1 cup heavy cream - 4 ounces smoked cheddar - 10 leaves basil - Micro Basil for Garnish

Grilled Cheese:

- 2 slices sourdough bread

- 2 ounces sharp cheddar - 2 ounces asiago - 2 ounces

American cheese - 3 tablespoons butter

Pr epar ation

For the Bisque:

1. Begin by chopping the heirloom tomatoes into rough cuts and set aside. Slice the red onion, celery, and garlic.

2. In an 8-quart sauce pot add your 8 ounces unsalted butter and set to medium heat to melt. Add your onion, celery, and garlic. Season with a pinch of salt, and sweat until translucent.

3. Add the all-purpose flour and continue to cook while stirring to ensure there is no sticking and the flour does not brown too quickly. You want to cook the flour out until you can smell its nutty aromas. At this point, you can add your tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock and parmesan rind (if using).

4. Stir to incorporate, bring to a boil and lower heat to a slow simmer. Cook the soup on low for about 30 minutes where the flavor has developed to your liking. In the meantime if using a block of smoked cheddar, grate on a cheese grater and set aside. Stack the basil leaves on top of each other and slice them into thin strips.

5. Once the time has passed, stir in the heavy cream, cheese, and basil.

6. Remove parmesan rind and Transfer to a blender and spin until smooth (You may also keep in the pot and use an immersion blender if you prefer.) Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper

For the Grilled Cheese:

1. Place 2 tablespoons of the butter in a cast iron or nonstick pan and turn the heat on to low ? medium. Grate the cheeses and set aside. Lay your slices of sourdough on your prep surface and add one slice of American cheese to each side.

2. Next spread the grated cheese onto one side of the bread and top with the other slice. Place in pan and toast until golden brown.

3. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and flip the sandwich carefully onto the other side, sprinkle the toasted side with a little salt and continue to toast until both sides are golden brown.

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Recipes

Recipes

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Bannan'n Gr aj é

By Peggy Joseph (Creole Caribbean Queen)

Ingr edients

- 1 & 1/2 Green Plantain (Peeled & Cut into small cubes) - 5 Cups of Water - 2 tsp of #CCQ Kay

Manman Spice mix - 3 cinnamon sticks - 5-star anise - 1/2 freshly grated nutmeg (Only grade 1/2 of the nutmeg for this recipe) - 1/2 Teaspoon Salt - 1/2 Stick of REAL Butter (4 tbsp)

- (2 cans) of 12 ounces of Evaporated Milk - 3/4 ? 1 Cup of Sugar (Or adjust to your liking)

- 2 Tablespoon of Essence De Noyau)

- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

- 1 teaspoon fresh lime zest OR zest of 1/2 lime

Pr epar ation

1. Add cubed plantains, 5 cups of water and Kay Manman Spice to your blender. Blend on high until pureed and smooth....2-3 minutes.

2. Pour pureed plantain blend into a medium-sized pot on medium-high heat and let boil 3- 5 minutes while stirring constantly. (Mixture will thicken during the boiling process.

3. Then add your star anise, cinnamon stick, salt and butter. Let boil/cook for an additional 2 - 3 minutes while stirring constantly.

4. Then stir in your sugar, lime zest, Essence De Noyau extract, vanilla extract, grated nutmeg and 2 cans of evaporated milk. Lower heat to medium-low and allow to cook for an additional 4-5 minutes while stirring occasionally until you reach your desired thickness.

Tips: Serve with warm sliced Haitian bread topped with a little bit of butter.

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Recipes

Smoke Her r ing Ar ansò Egg Rol l s

By Chef Anser Pierre Louis

Ingr edients

21 egg r oll wr aps

1 lbs sm ok e her r ing (ar ansö) soak and dr ained

2 cups cabbage finely chopped

½ cup car r ots shr edded

3 gr eens onions finely chopped

2 Tbs Epis1 Tbs tom ato paste2 Tbs olive oil1 Tbs sou sauce

Pr epar ation

1. Stir fr y epis and tom ato paste in olive oil m ix well. Add sm ok e her r ing, cabbage car r ots and gr een onions cook for 3 m inutes. Stir in soy sauce and let m ixtur e cook .

2. Use 2 tablespoons filling for each egg r oll.

3. W r apping the egg r olls

4. Place filling diagonally on wr ap, fold bottom cor ner over filing; r oll snugly halfway over filling, fold in side cor ner s,

m oisten the edge of last wr ap with water or eggs wash, r oll wr ap up and seal top cor ner lay flap-side down until r eady to cook

5. Fr ying option: fr y in sk illet place r olls flaps down and a few at a tim e tur ning on occasions until golden br own about 2-3 m inutes. Dr ain on paper towels

You can also bak e this at 400 f degr ee for 10-12 m inutes. Use a bak ing sheet coated with non-stick ing cook ing spr ay, lay egg r oll as on sheet and br ush top of r olls with olive oil until golden br own

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Recipes

St uf f ed Fr ench t oast

By Chef Oilivier Paultre

Ingr edients

- 8 slices Texas br ead

- 1/ 2 (8 ounces) pack age M ascar pone cheese, softened with powder sugar

- 1/ 2 cup r oasted peach jam - 5 eggs, beaten - 1/ 4 cup m ilk - 1 1/ 2 teaspoons vanilla extr act- 1 tablespoon butter

Pr epar ation

1. In a bowl, m ix all the wet ingr edients; M ascar pone cheese, powder sugar , vanilla extr act, m ilk , eggs beaten m ix it all together and m ak e your Fr ench toast m ix.

2. H eat sk illet on m edium -low heat and add 1 Tablespoon of butter per Fr ench toast.

3. W or k ing in batches,

dip each piece of fr ench toast into custar d batter. Let each side soak for about 10 seconds. Add the soak ed slices to the sizzling butter in the sk illet. 4. Cook until golden br own -about 4 m inutes per side.

5. Ser ve with fr esh ber r ies, powder ed sugar , whipped cr eam , and r ealm aple syr up.

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Recipes

Bl ack Bean sal sa

By Chef Cynthia Verna

Ingr edients

- 2 cups Black Beans, cook ed- 1 cup Sweet Cor n Ker nels,

dr ained- ¼ cup Red Onions, sm all diced- ¼ cup each Red, Or ange andYellow Bell Pepper s, sm alldiced

- 2 tbsp Scallion, m edium

ch opped- ¼ cup par sley, r ough chopped- 3 tbsp Canola Oil- 4 caps full Lem on Blend- ½ tsp Scotch Bonnet Pepper- ½ tsp Seasoning Blend (2 par ts salt / 1 par t black pepper )

Pr epar ation

1. Cook beans in salted water until soft but fir m . Allow to cool to r oom tem per atur e, then dr ain.

2. Com bine beans and all r em aining ingr edients in a bowl, and m ix together to m eld flavor s. Let sit for 15 m inutes. 3. Ser ve at r oom tem per atur e with tor tilla chips or gr illed m eats.

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Chef of the Season!

Chef of the Season

Thi s season we sel ected Hai t i an-Am er i can ,Chef Chr i stopher Vi aud of New Ham pshi r e.

by: CHEF ALAIN LEMAIRE Edited: CARL BAZELAIS

First generation Haitian-American, Christopher Viaud a Johnson and Wales University graduate from Massachusetts who discovered his love and passion for cooking at a premature age. In the kitchen is where he spent a valuable amount of his time with his mother while she nurtured & prepared the family's meals.With a couple of degrees in Culinary Arts and Food Service Management, Christopher decided that becoming a chef was what he was more passionate about, landed his first gig at Deuxave in Boston where he received much of his formal training and experience.

As a seasoned chef, and a lover of Haitian cuisine, Viaud finds new ways to elevate the cuisine.

"...with each opportunity I get I am find new innovative ways on how to expose those around me to Haitian food."

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Chef of the Season

Why did you decide to become a chef, despite the long hours, the never-ending weeks, no hol idays et c?

Being a chef allows me to be able to express myself as an artist by using food and different plate ware as my medium. It is such a rewarding feeling treating a guest to an unforgettable dining experience and sharing with them my thoughts and philosophy on food and how it can be playful fun and delicious. There are many sacrifices that are associated with working in the industry and there are things that do need to change but as a cook/ chef I try and make it my personal obligation to not get consumed and overwhelmed by the work and be sure to make time for family and take care of myself mentally and physically. We work in one of the most grueling environments, but it is important to take a step back and take a break to appreciate the things that matter most in life.

Which sector in the food and beverage industry is your main target/ market?

I like to focus most on educating guest on the difference in the quality of local farm fresh ingredients and how sourcing from local farms can help support the community around and allow for a more sustainable environment. In the last five to ten years, there have been huge changes in the food and

beverage industry. Chefs are more revered now, cooking has become mainstream thanks to TV shows, festivals, competitions etc... How did that affect you and how do you do to cope with it?

I think that it has been great for more people to fall in love with cooking again by being able to watch and experience cooking through media, but I?ve come to understand that it is a blessing and a curse. Seems as though everyone thinks its glitz and glamour to be a celebrity chef because of what they see on =TV but they do not understand what it takes to get to that point. I have seen it myself and heard so many stories of how culinary students get in it thinking it's going to be a cakewalk and then end up dropping out or not continuing their career because no one ?warned? them it was going to be challenging. For me, it has been an inspiration watching some of the talents on tv through watching Iron Chef, Chopped and Top Chef. Getting the chance to see icons developing themselves throughout the years.

Chefs are artists, free spirited and love to express themselves. It is hard to hold us in a box. What drives you? Where do you harvest that passion for cooking?

I draw my passion and inspiration by surrounding myself with people that

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Chef of the Season

have the same fire inside of them to always want to learn and create. There are so many aspects of culinary other than just cooking itself and by finding new interests in produce, preserving, foraging etc? I have been able to keep myself interested and learn new things which I can share with others.

promoted and have new responsibilities including managing those who previously were your fellow line cooks. I had a difficult time finding the balance from being a friend to being superior and it was just one of those learning curves that I had to overcome to situate myself in the best position for growth.

Being an entrepreneur has taught me a great deal throughout my journey. Especially to always push forward and aim high. What are some of the current and future projects, collaborations, etc... you have in the works?

For the past few years I have had the desire to open up my own restaurant and while to many that seem like a distant and unattainable goal, I am closer and closer to having that dream become a reality. Teaming up with my business partner we have been taking all the necessary steps to open a restaurant in the coming year.

The food industry is not immune to discrimination in all of its form: gender, race, religion, etc... you name it and we deal with it every day. Have you ever had to or do you currently deal with any form of discrimination? If so, how did/ do you manage?

Fortunately for me in my experiences I have not had to deal with any issues of discrimination. There is always the friendly banter between the back-of-house or the front-of-house staff that happens in joking matter which could lead to something more but if anyone has ever felt uncomfortable it was a simple discussion and there was never an escalated situation.

We all face different types of obstacles/ challenges in this industry. Would you mind sharing your most difficult one(s)?

I would have to say my one of my toughest obstacles was transitioning from a line cook to a chef. Working through the ranks in a kitchen means you develop close friendships with those around you and once you get

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Chef of the Season!

Peggy Joseph is also known as Creole Caribbean Queen is a young Haitian mother and entrepreneur, owner of Titi?s Treats in Miami, Florida, who has a love for cooking. She is the oldest of three children and has been in the kitchen putting meals together for her family since she was even a preteen.

"I'm just a girl who loves to cook and enjoy helping others recreate delicious meals at home"

Which sector in the food and beverage industry is your main target/ market?

Ar tisan of the Season

Thi s season ar t i san pr of i l e we sel ected Baham i an nat ive, Peggy Joseph; cook and busi ness ow ner who i s al so k now n as Cr eol e Car i bbean Queen.

by: CHEF ALAIN LEMAIRE Edited: CARL BAZELAIS

I don't really have a specific Target market. I'm willing to show anyone who would like to recreate authentic Haitian meals they remember as a child growing up. It gives me joy when someone contacts me and tells me how grateful they are that I showed them a recipe as simple as "Bannann Graje" which brings the feeling of nostalgia. That's who my target market is, it's not specifically male or female, black or white, Haitian or non-Haitian... My target market is simple: someone who just wants to learn, someone who wants to keep the tradition alive or wants to introduce something new

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Art isan of the Season

and delicious to their family.

In the last five to ten years, there have been huge changes in the food and beverage industry. Cooking has become mainstream thanks to TV shows, festivals, competitions etc... How did that affect you and how do you do to cope with it?

It's been great for me, I appreciate certain avenues like social media. Instagram and Facebook have given me a platform that I could never imagine. I think more people should take advantage of the platform that they can create on social media... Times are changing and not many people are sitting and watching television anymore... Social media has definitely been beneficial for me.

What drives you? Where do you harvest that passion for cooking?

My passion simply comes from my love of feeding others. I love watching someone sit down and enjoy a bowl of bouyon or a plate of diri kole and griyo. I think food, but not just any food; good, homemade food, definitely brings people together. Where there's good food, there's laughter and joy.

You'll have to wait to see... I do have quite a few things in the works and I'm excited about the future.

obstacles/ challenges in this industry. Would you mind sharing your most difficult one(s)?

One of the hurdles I had to overcome was my fear of criticism. I was unsure whether I would be taken seriously. However, I had to push those fears aside and move forward, because I knew that what I am doing is something that?s definitely needed. One of the most fulfilling emotions I've ever experienced is a message from someone thanking me for recreating a dish that their mom made and they now can recreate at home themselves.

By the grace of God, I haven't experienced any form of discrimination whether it be by gender, race or religion yet...(knock on wood.) But I would recommend to anyone who has experienced that to not let it deter them from moving forward. You cannot judge an entire group based on one person's lack of respect. Continue to move forward, continue to push through. Had I given up the first time someone on social media said something critical I would have never experienced the many other positive messages that I received? Never throw your towel in early, keep going... Keep pushing.

We all face different types of

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This article is from:

Chef's Corner Magazine, Fall 2018, V1, Issue 2