Chef's Corner Magazine, The Caribbean Issue, V2, Issue 4 by Chef's Corner Magazine

CELEBRATING CARIBBEAN CHEFS & GASTRONOMY

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CARIBBEAN issue

SPRING2019 1

Contents SPRING 2019 DEPARTM ENTS 04

Im pr essu m

Ar t isan's Pr of ile Regine Theodat &MyaBel 's cooking sauces

Pu blish er 's Not e

Types of Wat er

Ch ef 's Favor it e by Chef Alain Lemaire

Eat It , Plan t It

Ripe & Ready

Recipes

WORD from the CHEF

Rosem ar y

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.

FEATURES 14

Hu gh [Ch ef Ir ie] Sin clair , BKA "The Culinary Architect " gives a different perspective of what Jamaica looks like through his cooking.

Ch ef Rosecleer M ar ie An t h on y a chef with an eye for design.

Ch ef Leeon n ey Ben t ick Highlighting the flavors of the Caribbean in fine and elevated style.

Ch ef Jou ven s Jean credits his hard working and the passion for cooking.

Publ isher & Edit or In Chief Carl Bazelais Managing Edit or Katleen Valmond-Bazelais Cul inary Edit ors Alain Lemaire & Stephan Berrouet-Durand

Cont ribut ors Leeonny Beantick, Rosecleer-Marie Anthony, Jovens Jean, Hugh Sinclair, Alain Lemaire, Stephane Berrouet-Durand

Phot ographers Neha Deshmukh, Manuela Bohm, Aliona gumeniuk, Amiral Islam, Mae Mu, Jonathan Pielmayer, Jennifer Schmidt, Nick Collins, Daniel McGarity, Darwin Doleyres, David Muir, James Anthony Photography Dana Devolk James Conolly

Subscript ions Print & Digit al Services Bonspoon@gmail.com

Edit orial ChefsCornerMagazine@gmail.com

Edit orial Board Members Carl Bazelais, Bonspoon Media Katleen Bazelais, Bonspoon Media Keu Reyes, Artistic Warfare Vladimir Tilme, General Mills Alain Lemaire, Lemaire Hospitality Group Stephan Berrouet-Durand, Culinary By Design

Graphic Design Bonspoon Media

Cont act Us Chef ?s Corner Magazine 321-800-8539 Bonspoon@gmail .com

Chef ?s Corner Magazine is publ ished quart erl y by Bonspoon Media, LLC. Al l right s reserved. No part of t his publ icat ion may be used wit hout writ t en permission by t he publ isher. Every ef f ort was made t o avoid errors, misspel l ings, and omissions. If an error comes t o your at t ent ion,

Welcome! SPRING 2019 Th e Car i bbean I ssu e. We ar e m ov i n g a n ew di r ect i on , bu t n ot f ar f r om t h e ol d. When the concept of the magazine came about, Haitian gastronomy was the only thing on the list. Mainly due to the fact of my heritage and culture. Since Haitian, Jamaican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, all fall under the umbrella of Caribbean cuisine, we have taken the challenge to continue the fight to be recognized amongst the already popular cuisines. So I take this opportunity to announce a new direction that is more inclusive to all Caribbean chefs. In this issue, we highlight four chefs; two Culinary Ambassadors who share their love for food and culture, a chef who has the eye for design, as well as a vegan chef who wants to highlight the flavors of the Caribbean in a vegan sort of way. We feature the Chef 's Favorite, a list of produce for this spring in Ripe & Ready, along with the one to recycle back for the next harvest in Eat It, Plant It and a few yummy recipes.

Followus Ch ef sCor n er M ag

@Ch ef sCor n er M ag

Ch ef 's Favorite

Rosemar y Her b Rosem ar y's ear t h i n ess t ast e an d f r agr an ce br i n gs ou t t h e f l avor s

EAR THY& FRAGRA NT

Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the mint family which includes many other herbs, such as thyme, sage, and basil. It can be used fresh or dried in soups, sandwiches, salads, dips, and can even be used for making infused oil. I like using Rosemary herb, first of all, because of the natural oils are amazing. I use it for potatoes and certain meats for its earthiness taste, fragrance and because it brings out flavors.

Spring 2019

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Ripe & r eady

Spring 2019

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Ripe & r eady BLUEBERRIES: Tast e: Blueberries have a sweet and woodsy flavor with an varying acidity. Applicat ion : They are common for the pies and jams. They are also as appropriate in savory dishes as they are in sweet ones.

CANTALOUPE: Tast e: the flesh is juicy, flavorful and sweet. Applicat ion : cantaloupe can be used fresh or raw in both sweet and savory.

GUAVA:

Tast e: it is firm as a banana with the succulence of an apple. Applicat ion : they may be used for applications both sweet and savory, fresh, cooked, hot and cold.

GRAPEFRUIT

Tast e: Grapefruits are tender and juicy with a sweet and tart flavor. Applicat ion : They are best suited for raw applications. The fruit can be sliced and mixed into green salads, fruit salads, and fruit bowls.

MyaBel Cooking Sauces You an d you r h u sban d ow n M yaBel Haitian spicy slaw). We had a client named Rest au r an t in Cr oix-des-Bou qu et s, Hait i. Katelyn, she loved our mango pikliz and How lon g h ave you been in bu sin ess? asked us to bottle it. Honestly, we ignored Myself, my husband and another partner her for a while, we had a struggling own the restaurant. 2.5 years ago we restaurant, I was a lawyer with no became an S.A.(LLC). My husband and I understanding of bottling, adding this to own the S.A.(LLC), which owns 50% of the our business model seamed reckless. restaurant with the other partner. In addition to the restaurant, we have a When we eventually did bottle the pikliz, production center and a farm. So we we sold 8200 units in 18 months and our actually consider ourselves a Food & entire business model changed. When we Beverage brand. we started in 2013, we started doing market research for export expanded in 2016. and fund-raising, we named our new target clientel "Katelyn," in honor of the first Wh y t h e n am e M yaBel? person that pushed the idea of bottling Its a combination of two names that our products. started the business. From there we just continued to bottle How did t h e idea f or pr odu cin g h ot items that were popular at the restaurant, sau ces, cock t ails an d cook in g sau ces now we have 14 bottled products and will com e abou t ? be adding about 12 over the next 18 It came from consumer demand, we months. originally opened up the restaurant side as a "cocktail bar." We had 20 craft cocktails Wh at m akes you r sau ces dif f er en t f r om named after various areas of ot h er sau ces? Croix-des-Bouquets. We also developed a Our sauces are Caribbean influenced. We mango pikliz (a spin on the traditional have three cooking sauces and three hot

Spring 2019

wit h r egine t heodat

sauces. Our cooking sauces literally are perfect with everything. Nan Tou t SĂ˛s: passion fruit ginger cooking sauce. Sau ce Zan sĂ¨t : tomato, pineapple, klere (moonshine) cooking sauce. Ay! Ti M an m an : mango pikliz (spicy mango slaw). Our hot sauces are named after the family of vaudou spirits that control fertility and death. These spirits eat 21 hot peppers at vaudou ceremonies. Bwav (coconut hot sauce), Gede (mango, ginger hot sauce), Nibo (Orange, lemongrass hot sauce). Do you u se you r ow n sau ces? Of course! I put them on everything and continuously try and replicate the dishes our clients create. You can find MyaBel products at their website MyaBel.ht. They ship everywhere in the world via DHL.

Carl Bazelais

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7 t ypes of wat er

QUENCHYOUR THIRST

Th e 7 di f f er en t t ypes of w at er t o k n ow. Water is fundamentally crucial to humans. In fact, it is the one ingredient for life on earth or any terrestrial planet. Without this substance, our existence would cease. The human body is made out of 70 percent water, and the surface of the earth is covered about 71 percent water. Moreover, the ocean holds about 97 percent of all the earth's water. So essentially, keeping our bodies hydrated is and will always be important. The confusion occurs when we walk down the water aisle of our local supermarket to see the many choices of brands and types of water. There are 7 Types of Water; tap, mineral, spring, well, purified, distilled and sparkling water.

1Tap wat er Tap water is the water that runs from your faucet. Depending on the regulations set by your local government, it may or may not be ok to drink.

2 Miner al wat er Mineral water is water that naturally holds minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, and manganese.

3 Spr ing wat er Spring water is natural water that is collected in springs.

4 Wel l wat er Well-water is the accumulation of rainwater that is collected underground.

5 Pur if ied wat er

6 Dist il l ed wat er

7 Spar kl ing wat er

Purified water is filtered or processed to remove impurities such as chemicals and other contaminants.

Distilled water is a type of purified water that is boiled into vapor to remove impurities and processed back into liquid.

Sparkling water may be spring water, purified water or mineral water that contains dissolved carbon dioxide gas added artificially or occurs due to natural geological processes.

Carl Bazelais

Spring 2019

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Eat It , Pl ant It

Spring 2019

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Eat It , Pl ant It Plant I t Beets Carrots Broccoli Cauliflower Beans Corn Cucumber Melons Eggplant Cabbage

Combining a degree in Architecture and the passion for food, Hugh Sinclair, who is better known as Chef Irie, now uses his creativity in the kitchen to design delectable new dishes. After working a few years in the field of architecture, contemplating his next move, "I went back to become a chef. It seemed right", said the chef. As a result of this melding fusion, and his meticulousness to what is on the plate and how it looks when plated is how he earned the nickname of "Culinary Architect". Today Car ibbean gast r on om y h as st ar t ed t o em er ge as t h e "n ew cu isin e" t o look ou t f or . Th is is t h an k s t o su per t alen t ed Ch ef s su ch as you r self w h o ar e sh ow in g t h e w or ld t h at t h is cu isin e can st an d alon gside som e of t h e best cu isin es in t h e w or ld. How do you f eel abou t t h at ? I say bring it on. What we as the "Caribbean Chefs must convey to the world that Caribbean food is more than anyone island. It's a composite of culture, heritage and oftentimes untold stories that have been left for us over the centuries by so many different principalities and this makes our culinary DNA the envy of the world. There is so much diversity in our pots, now it's up to us to deliver this to the world.

Hugh "Chef Ir ie" Sinclair Cu l i n ar y Am bassador t o Jam ai ca Ch ef I r i e sh ar es h i s t h ou gh t on Car i bbean cu i si n e. by: STEPHAN BERROUET-DURAND Photography: DAVID M UIR

Spring 2019

Do you see Car ibbean Cu isin e em er gin g on it s ow n or does it st ill n eed t o be def in ed? Why should we need to define it? Caribbean Cuisine is not a singular entity in of itself. Why should we be put in a box? It's time we free ourselves of the "defined" barriers folks want to put us in. That's not who we are as Caribbean people. I believe Caribbean cuisine has been here for all to see for a long time, It just has not had a unifying voice. Not a voice that says we do the same things, but a voice that comes from us the chefs and the countries we represent. We need help to empower our voices to reach a greater audience. We need help from representatives in our respective countries to make the commitments through dollars and schools and people towards culinary. If there's not that commitment, we will continue to be individual chefs struggling to make our cultures know more on a grander scale.

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Wit h t h e m elt in g pot of cu lt u r es t h at def in es t h e Car ibbean , sh ou ld w e h ave a r eal con ver sat ion abou t t h e diver sit y in Car ibbean Cu isin e? Can w e all accept t h at it is on e cu isin e, or is t h e beau t y of t h e cu isin e in it s diver sit y? I think we've been having that conversation for far too long? amongst ourselves. As I said before, the diversity in Caribbean Cuisine is what makes our food so unique. We are a melting pot indeed. The beauty of Caribbean foods is that we are cooking in many pots and many hands are seasoning those pots. If you were an outsider would you dare tell the US how to cook our foods? I don't see anyone going around the world trying to define other cuisines of the world. We've accepted them as they are because that's what we've been told it is. Caribbean food is what it is. It's love, culture, history on a plate, one ingredient at a time. You h ave been in t h e in du st r y f or over 20 year s n ow , an d ar e con sider ed as on e of t h e pr em ier Car ibbean Ch ef s in t h e in du st r y. You h ave em br aced you r Jam aican r oot s an d h ave t ak en it t o a w h ole ot h er level. Please t ell u s h ow gr at if yin g it f eels t o be r ecogn ized f or you r sk ills an d su per ior it y. I have been blessed with many opportunities over the years of being a chef. Some of the opportunities were not even on my purview. Such as becoming the host of Taste the Islands on PBS. I've represented Jamaica at the James Beard House, The United Nations Building, South Beach Wine and Food Festival - Taste Jamaica. I've traveled to several countries to cooked for celebrities, various clients and events. Almost every time I get an opportunity, I most certainly express my Caribbean [ Jamaican] roots. Moreover, Jamaica always comes to mind each and every time I think about a dish that connects me with my childhood. I love being an Ambassador to Jamaica and our culture and cuisine. I love that I can give a different perspective of what Jamaica looks like. However, that journey hasn't always been the smoothest. As chefs, we all struggle to find our culinary identities. Today w e see cer t ain r espect or adm ir at ion , if you w ill, f or Jam aican f ood in par t icu lar ; Tast e Jam aica is a f eat u r ed even t at t h e Sou t h Beach Food & Win e Fest ival. Give you r t h ou gh t s abou t t h e even t , an d h ow you f eel

abou t t h is f eat u r e. Yes, Jamaican food is loved all over the world. Wherever we find a corner in this world, we bring our foods and culture. I was extremely proud to be a part of that event, Taste Jamaica at SOBEWFF, South Beach Wine and Food Festival. It was the first time at the festival that Jamaica was represented in this way and folks came out and supported to the max. I'm proud to know my people, "mi yawdies" came and made it a sold out event. I was proud because all the guests that were there had a great time. They loved the food, the experience and even started talking about next year at SOBEWFF2020. Taste Jamaica featured chefs from the Jamaican Diaspora coming in from New York, Jamaica and our local chefs right here in Fort-Lauderdale and Miami. Taste Jamaica had a bevy of sponsors including Appleton Estates, Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and Visit Jamaica. The pride was truly sealed with DJ Irie spinning wicked tunes. It was a cool vibe. Havin g, essen t ially, been t h e on ly Car ibbean Ch ef s f eat u r ed w it h h is ow n sh ow on t elevision an d again bein g du bbed as t h e Jam aican Ch ef . Wh at do you t h in k it is goin g t o t ak e t o h ave m or e Car ibbean Ch ef s bein g f eat u r ed on Television an d possibly h avin g t h eir ow n sh ow ? I believe there are breakthroughs that are being made when it comes to seeing Black chefs, Caribbean chefs being featured on TV programs. I'm quite sure that the grind has been worth the efforts. More needs to be done though to see us being featured on our own shows. It will take seeking opportunities in places that are not the norm. It will take us to believe that we can produce quality and deliver that. It will take recognition from others that we can deliver quality. It will take us pooling our efforts and resources. But most of all it will take monetary commitments, plain and simple. This year will be the second edition of a successful first year of Taste the Islands Experience of which you are its ambassador and the featured chef. Please tell us what an event like this can do for Caribbean Cuisine but for Caribbean Chefs in general? Do you see this event becoming the kind of platform that can push the envelope for Caribbean chefs in general? Yes, It will be the second year and the Taste the Islands Experience 14 is coming up April 26th -28th. I believe that the Taste the

Islands platform will do lots more than just promote Caribbean Chefs but everything that is dear to us in general. Much the same as any other platform, it takes a village and a belief in that village. In order for the envelope to be pushed more to feature more Caribbean Chefs and Caribbean cuisine than what is already being highlighted, It will take the collective support and resources of our Caribbean people for it to continue being successful, more collective support from officials, locally and abroad. The more we support the growth of those platforms by way of sponsorships and noted advertising, the more avenues can be created for Chefs and Caribbean cuisine. You ar e also t h e Cu lin ar y Am bassador , an d f eat u r ed Ch ef f or Jer k Fest . In f act , it is on e of t h e pr em ier ou t door f ood f est ivals sh ow casin g Jam aican Cu isin e. Please t ell u s a lit t le bit abou t t h at jou r n ey an d h ow t h at plat f or m h as been u sef u l t o you r pr of ession al lif e? The Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival will go into its 18th year in 2019 and I've been involved with the festival for the last 12 years, I believe. It's really remarkable to see how the festival has grown over the years. From a smaller park in Pembroke Pines with about 5000 in attendance to a larger park, seeing three to four times as many coming through the gates and many guest artists performing. I started out doing cooking demos and now I help to coordinate the activities under the Culinary Pavilion where we have giveaway prizes with known celebrities and celebrity chefs being showcased as they perform cooking demos and quick fire challenges. I've met and worked with some great chefs and formed some cool bonds in friendships. Because of these friendships, it has afforded me the opportunity to collaborate on other projects. If nothing else, the Jerk Festival has shown me how to make the show go on even when things go wrong for large scale events. Quite the same for chefs in our professional lives regardless of what current situation is.

In addit ion t o you r su ccessf u l, pr ivat e ch ef bu sin ess, an d t h e cou n t less f eat u r es on t h e cir cu it , you t ak e t h e t im e t o m ak e su r e you ar e givin g back . Please let ou r r eader s k n ow w h y, an d h ow im por t an t it is t o you .

Being part of the community, giving back is very important. We owe it to the people around us because they help to make us who we are. They have sewn seeds into our businesses in many ways so it is only right that we show our gratitude. The community is one aspect, but the mentorships are crucial. we can only actively be chefs for so long, so it's imperative that we sew into the minds of younger chefs? if they'll accept the words of wisdom that is. Being chefs mean we feed people in different ways, not always through food. Which is why I created my own Foundation; The Food on Fiyah Foundation to help in ways that being a chef might not be possible. The give back is real, it's necessary and it's important.

Spring 2019

We w an t t o t h an k you f or t ak in g t h e t im e t o pr epar e f or t h is in t er view. Let u s par t w it h a f ew w or ds of w isdom f r om t h e Cu lin ar y Ar ch it ect . Also w ou ld like t o k n ow w h at is com in g u p f or you in t h e n ear f u t u r e. Well, Taste the Islands Experience is coming up on April 26-28th, Friends of James Beard in Jamaica, Grace Jamaican Jerk festival in New York and Ft. Lauderdale. Really trying to find more motivation to complete writing the cookbook and other projects. I can only say, Be the chef you want to be by being true to who you are. and never think that you can do it by yourself. Surround yourself with a team as best you can but when you do, be sure that everyone is there to support you and help to expand your vision through

shared ideas. And remember, always have great Food on Fiyah Experiences. Food is life. We are chefs, we bring our culture and history on a plate, one ingredient at a time. Thank you again, Chef Irie "On Fire".

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In the past decade, Chef Jouvens Jean has amassed a significant of acknowledgments throughout his career, earning the title of celebrity chef; taking on wins in multiple TV cooking shows, James Beard Scholar, just to name a few. He is also regarded as one of the premier Haitian Chefs in the Industry which he gives credit to his hard work and the passion for cooking. Born in the Bahamas of Haitian parents, but dare not assume that his Haitian identity is hidden. Jouvens' passion for Haiti is as deep in his heart as he expresses that love through his creations. Alt h ou gh t r ain ed in var iou s cu isin es in clu din g Japan ese, w e h ave seen you n ow em er ged as on e of t h e pr em ier Hait ian Ch ef s, an d a Cu lin ar y Am bassador f or Hait i. Please t ell u s h ow t h at cam e abou t , an d addit ion ally, w h y you r f ocu s h as ch an ged. My focus has always been to cook amazing food so that hasn't changed because for me great food is great food no matter its origin. But I did come to the realization that although I had the opportunity to travel in many places around the world and learned many cuisines, I still have not conquered the food from my roots. So I took a pilgrimage to Haiti and did just that and the journey was and still is glorious.

Chef Jouvens Jean Tal k s abou t h i s passi on f or f ood an d h i s n ew ven t r u r e by: STEPHAN BERROUET-DURAND Photography: DARWIN DOLEYRES

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You h ave a n ew pr oject " M an jay " . Please t ell u s abou t it an d explain t h e m ean in g beh in d t h e n am e, also t h e vision beh in d it ? Manjay is the brainchild of myself and a friend who is from Haiti and travels frequently throughout the Caribbean. He and I met in college many moons ago and always talked about doing a restaurant project together. Both of our love for Haitian food and our extensive knowledge of the Caribbean is how we concocted what is now Manjay. Manjay is a creole derivative of the word "La Manjay" which means

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a plethora of food. The vision behind Manjay is just to showcase the bold and robust flavors Caribbean food on a grand platform. Th er e seem s t o be a n ew t r en d in f ood con cept s, sor t of a n ew ver sion of t h e f ood cou r t s, bu t ch ic an d cu st om -or ien t ed. Wh er e do you see t h is n ew t r en d? Also is t h er e a f it f or Hait ian [Car ibbean ] cu isin e. In my opinion food halls are to food courts what food trucks are to food carts. By that, I mean, it was a thing back then to get a hot dog from a food cart on the corner but now you can have a sexier hot dog on a food truck by an industry-grade chef. The same goes when you look at a food hall in comparison to a food court. I think those food halls are the tapas of stand-alone restaurants, in the sense that you have many well-known restaurants in one space and you can try different restaurants with friends all in one place. Wit h you r n ew f ood con cept " M an jay " w h er e do you see t h is goin g? Wh at ar e you r f u t u r e plan s? The future plans for Manjay are three folds; the first is to open more, and the second is to educate the consumer about the eclectic charm in Caribbean food and the third is to have some proceeds of profits go to the Chef Jouvens Foundation. You h ave also been an advocat e f or k ids in Hait i t h r ou gh t h e Ch ef Jou ven s Fou n dat ion . Please t ell m or e abou t t h at w or k an d w h at it m ean s t o you . The work I do with the Foundation comes directly from my heart. There is a multitude of kids in Haiti who probably will never have the opportunities that I have had, and so I want to share my blessings with them. My objective with the Foundation is not to change the world, but what I do hope is that through the Foundation I can inspire a child that will change the world.

I h ave decided t o pu t in qu ot at ion bet w een you r n am e " Th e Silen t Killer " . I k n ow you w ill ask m e w h y. Wh en I w at ch you in t h e k it ch en , you ar e cool an d calcu lat ed. M or eover , you car r y t h at sam e dem ean or in com pet it ion s on or of f scr een . People w on't k n ow t h at you 'r e a badass u n t il t h ey see you at w or k an d by t h e t im e t h ey f igu r e you ou t , it 's alr eady over [in ser t lau gh t er ]. Please t ell u s abou t t h is edge you h ave. Wh er e an d h ow did you develop it ? [Chef Jouvens laughs]. Thank you for that great compliment. I supposed it's the Capricorn in me. You did n ot gr ow u p in Hait i, bu t yet you r at t ach m en t is u n den iable w h y? Wh er e do t h is at t ach m en t an d gen u in e love com e f r om ? I'm still trying to answer that question myself. My parents took me to live in Haiti for a few years as a child and I believed that from that moment I was so captivated with the country. I claim it as the home of my soul. We all h ave ou r ow n def in it ion s of w h at su ccess is. Wh at is you r s, an d w h y? For me tangible or intangible objects can't quantify success. Success is 18 based on every individual's definition of where they want to be in their own

life. The meaning of success for me derives from what is next. My success is only attainable by the reach of my mind and thoughts. Ch ef Jou ven s, it h as been an h on or an d pleasu r e t o h ave been able t o do t h is in t er view w it h you an d w ou ld like again t o con gr at u lat e you on you r n ew pr oject . We w ish t o com e t o visit you soon an d, of cou r se, do a live in t er view w it h you . For ou r r eader s, please sh ar e a f ew w or ds, an d m aybe som e advice f or t h ose in t h e in du st r y as w ell. I am truly humbled by this interview so thank you for taking an interest in my world. For those in the industry, I'd like to say stay focus, keep working. Cooking is the easy part. Pay attention to details because huge success lies in small details. Cheers!

Before she pursued a career in Culinary Arts from Le Cordon Bleu and began working as a personal chef. Chef Rosecleer Marie, a Maryland native was an alumnus of North Carolina A&T State University where she received a B.S. in Graphic Design. She decided to become a chef after realizing that her passion for food was something that needed to be unplumbed.

"I have a creative eye for plating my food, color contrast, textures, lighting. I really enjoy the visuals..." 2017 w as a big year f or you ... Con gr at u lat ion s on you r m ar r iage. I k n ow of m an y ch ef s w h o t r avel f r om st at e t o st at e, coast t o coast , an d som et im es cou n t r y t o cou n t r y. How h ar d is it , as a n ew lyw ed, t o be on t w o dif f er en t coast s; Los An geles an d At lan t a an d m ake it w or k ? Thank you, we just recently relocated to Los Angeles, I am making L.A. my home base, however, I have not been back to Atlanta yet for work, looking forward to it. My husband does travel often for work as a photographer. It's not too bad, we grew up attending different high schools and colleges, we are pretty used to it, plus the distance makes the heart grow fonder!

Chef Rosecleer Mar ie Anthony A ch ef w i t h a k een eye f or desi gn . by: KATLEEN VALM OND-BAZELAIS Photography: JAM ES ANTHONY PHOTOGRAPHY

Spring 2019

Wh at ar e som e of t h e ch allen ges you h ave been f aced w it h or h ad t o over com e? There are emotional challenges and literal challenges I've had to overcome and will always consistently work through them. Emotional challenges would be self-doubt, fear of failure, not being "good enough", racing against the clock of life, you know the basics! lol. Literal challenges in this industry, have not experienced much, however, I do feel an unspoken hurdle

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is being a person of color in the private/personal chef world. The culinary industry is dominated by older Caucasian men, so that just simply makes it a bit more difficult to navigate the culinary waters, trying to prove you are just as talented or even better than the next chef, to receive that same respect!

Is t h er e a ch ef you adm ir e t h e m ost ? Wh o an d w h y? I do! Well, I'll give two, male and female. Chef Calvin out of Miami, his work and style are superb and I love his positivity and passion for the industry, and Chef Angela "The Kitchenista" her work is dope and you can feel and almost taste the seasonings and love she puts into her food in every post she makes.

How m an y dif f er en t t ypes of cu isin e ar e you capable of pr odu cin g? Maybe close to 10, but honestly if you can read a recipe and are culinary savvy then you should be able to tackle most cuisines, mastering them is the talent. Bein g a descen dan t of t h e Car ibbean , is t h er e a specif ic spice or in gr edien t t h at you ju st h ave u sed in all of you r dish es? I'm not from the islands directly however my grandmother, she was from Grenada and my Grandfather, Trinidad. I often use coconut oil for braising, and plenty of different curries.

How w ou ld on e r ecogn ize, by eat in g, a dish t h at you 've cr eat ed? Probably the spice and flavor contrast!

I'm big on spicy foods and the proper balance of salt & acid, I love using citrus in some way in my dishes, it always elevates it!

Wh at is you r f avor it e cu isin e t o cook ? That's tough because I enjoy so many cuisines but I may have to say West Indian/South American cuisines. Essentially it's soul food with more complex flavors!

Tell u s som et h in g u n iqu e abou t you r cu isin e, w h ich m akes it dif f er en t f r om ot h er s. Maybe the plating, I'm also a food stylist so I have a creative eye for plating my food, color contrast, textures, lighting. I really enjoy the visuals as we all do because we know people eat with their eyes first.

"Light, fresh and island-inspired" are the three words that describe her cooking style. Chef Lee is a vegan Personal Chef in Baltimore, MD who specializes in Caribbean cuisine. She was born and raised in St. Vincent and the Grenadines so Caribbean cooking for her is only natural. Her ultimate goal is to highlight the flavors of the Caribbean in fine and elevated style. She was brought up as an apprentice to her mother who owns and operates a restaurant on the island. However, it wasn't until she moved to the U.S. that she was introduced to the kitchen and the culinary scene. She began exploring the world of food through cooking shows, food blogs, and social media.

"Being exposed to the artistic side of the culinary industry, the creative in me was eager to learn more and contribute in some way." Wh y did you becom e a vegan ch ef ? Since I made a personal choice to go vegan I decided that my business should transition as well. I also want to show that vegan food can be flavorful especially when paired with bold ingredients from the Caribbean.

Chef Leeonney Bentick A Ven cen t i an ch ef f r om Bal t i m or e w h o speci al i zes i n vegan Car i bbean cu i si n e by: CARL BAZELAIS Photography: DANIEL M ACGARRITY

Spring 2019

Bein g a vegan ch ef com es w it h ch allen ges. Wh at ar e som e of t h e ch allen ges you h ave been f aced w it h or h ad t o over com e? Oh yes, it takes a lot of discipline and patience. I have been transitioning to veganism over the past year and officially became vegan this year, so the hard stop wasn't that difficult for me. The cravings still hit from time to time, but what helps is thorough meal prepping and planning. Always having food available helps keep cravings at a

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minimum and the urge to eat out at bay. How did you get t h e n am e Ch ef Lesh e? The name of my company is actually a combination of my name and my business partner 's name.

Alt h ou gh , Cu ban an d Jam aican cu isin es, in dividu ally, h ave alr eady been pavin g t h e w ay in Am er ica. Do you f eel t h at t h e Car ibbean cu isin e, as a w h ole, h as a spot at bein g m ain st r eam ? Absolutely. Caribbean cuisine is a building block for so many other cuisines. I myself have noticed that there has been an increase in creativity and innovation when it comes to Caribbean cuisine. The cuisine that I grew up on is Vincentian cuisine and that in itself is another realm of Caribbean cooking in relation

to Jamaica and Cuba. With that being said, I am elated to showcase my country's cooking on my platform in vegan style.

Wh at ar e som e of you r f avor it e Vin cy dish es? My favorite Vincentian dishes are: pelau, bakes & saltfish and callaloo soup.

You h ave w at ch ed you r m ot h er r u n h er r est au r an t bu sin ess back h om e, soak in g u p all of t h e exper ien ces f ir st h an d. Is t h er e t h e possibilit y of you open in g a vegan r est au r an t in t h e f u t u r e? I will have to say that there is a restaurant in the future; not the near though. I am still giving myself time to really build a solid foundation around my Caribbean vegan identity so that it

is to the point where it easily translates to the public.

Sh ar e w it h u s w h at m ot ivat es an d in spir es you t o w ake u p an d w or k h ar der ever y day. Simply put passion; passion for the industry and a passion for what I bring to the industry.

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Conch Fr itter s by Chef Jouvens Jean DRY INGREDIENTS:

DICED)

Â½ TSP SALT

1 CUP ALL PURPOSE FLOUR

1 TBSP DICED RED ONIONS

EPIS PREPARATION

1 TSP BAKING POWDER

1 TBSP DICED MIXED BELL PEPPERS

PLACE ALL INGREDIENTS IN A BLENDER AND BLEND UNTIL SMOOTH NOTES: THIS SEASONING BLEND IS USED IN THE MAJORITY OF HAITIAN FOOD FOR MARINATING AND FLAVORING. CONCH FRITTER PREPERATION: MIX ALL INGREDIENTS TOGETHER IN A MIXING BOWL AND ALLOW TO REST IN THE REFRIGERATOR FOR ABOUT AN HOUR BEFORE SERVING. IN A 350-DEGREE DEEP FRYER, USING AN ICE CREAM SCOOP OR A SPOON PLACE CONCH FRITTER BATTER MIX IN THE FRYER AND FRY UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN. REMOVE FROM FRYER AND SEASON WITH COMPLETE SEASONING AND SERVE HOT. CHEERS!

1 TSP DRY ACTIVE YEAST 1 TSP GARLIC POWDER 1 TSP ONION POWDER 2 TSP COMPLETE SEASONING 1 TSP S&P

1 TBSP CHOPPED SCALLION FOR EPIS INGREDIENT 1 OZ PARSLEY (ROUGH CHOPPED) 1 OZ SCALLION (ROUGH CHOPPED) 1 TBSP GARLIC (PEELED, ROUGH CHOPPED)

WET INGREDIENTS: 1-CUP MOJO CRIOLLO 2 TBSP EPIS 1 TBSP LEMON JUICE 2-CUPS DICED CONCH (SMALL

Spring 2019

1 TSP SCOTCH BONET PEPPER (ROUGH CHOPPED WITH SEEDS) 1 TBSP LEMON JUICE 1 OZ VEGETABLE OIL

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Mussels Chor izo By Chef I r ie Ingredient s:

Met hod:

¼ cup olive oil

2 cups white wine

1 each shallot, chopped

½ cup coconut milk

2 tsp chopped garlic

¾ cup vegetable or seafood stock

1 ½ tsp Scotch bonnet pepper, finely chopped (or Sambal Olec)

Add oil to pan on medium heat then add shallots and sauté for about 1 minute then add the garlic, pepper and thyme. Sauté for about 2 minutes then add the mango & Chayote and sauté for another minute before adding the Chorizo.

3 Tb butter

Cook for about 2 minutes then add the mussels to pan. Spread out and then add the white wine, coconut milk and chicken stock.

¼ cup chopped cilantro 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves 1 cp ripe mango, medium diced

Salt & pepper to taste if needed

Cover the pan and reduce the heat some and let mussels steam for about 5 minutes. Add butter and chopped cilantro and cook for another two minutes.

½ cup chayote squash, medium diced

Check seasoning and then remove from heat and serve with mango aioli and a couple slices of toasted baguette bread.

1cup Spanish Chorizo 30 ? 40 each Fresh Mussels

Spring 2019

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Chor izo & Shr imp Stuffed Plantains by Chef Rosecleer Mar ie Anthony In gr edien t s:

1tblsp Butter

5-6 Very Ripe Plantains

Coconut Oil

from the heat and place on a plate (not a paper towel, they will stick!)

(should be close to black) 9oz pack of Spicy Chorizo Large Shrimp

-In the same skillet pan sear the marinated

Olive Oil

Cut bacon slices into small pieces "lardons" fry till crispy, add stewed tomatoes, reduce

Dir ect ion s:

heat and simmer until sauce thickens. Add Ch im ich u r r i

salt & pepper to taste and butter. Set aside

1 8oz of Stewed Tomatoes Finely chop cilantro, 1/4 onion, 1/2 pack of bacon

garlic cloves, add enough olive oil to combine ingredients (should be

2 bunches Cilantro 4 cloves of Garlic

saucy) season with crushed red pepper, cumin, salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste, and lime juice for

White or Yellow Onion 3-4 Limes Crushed Red Pepper

-Peel plantains and cut in half length wise, heat a skillet with about 2 tbsp of coconut oil. Fry the plantains until you achieve a nice shrimp, 4-5 minutes until you achieve a nice color/char...remove from heat and place onto plantains.

right balance. Set aside -Spoon on the stewed tomato sauce with -Peel and Marinate Shrimp with chimichurri and set aside (tails on

bacon onto the shrimp and plantains and then add the chimichurri as well.

are optional) Ground Cumin

-This dish is complete and full of flavor, -brown color on both sides, remove

Salt & Fresh Cracked Pepper

Spring 2019

enjoy!

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