Spreading love and community through Caribbean cuisine

Chef Vanessa Simon shares her passion for food with U of G students at online cooking event

EMILY BRAY

Vanessa Simon’s secret to cooking up delicious food is simple: always be sure to stir in a healthy dose of love.

Since launching her business, Vanessa’s Cuisine, in 2020, Simon has been using her talent for Caribbean cooking to connect with people across Kitchener-Waterloo and beyond.

“I love sharing my food. I love sharing my culture. It’s my passion,” she told The Ontarion.

Most recently, she hosted a virtual cooking class for University of Guelph students, teaching them how to make a variety of Afro-Guyanese dishes, including rice and peas, jerk barbeque chicken, curried chickpeas, and fried plantains.

U of G students who took part in Simon’s cooking class were treated to her bubbly personality and extensive knowledge about how to make the perfect homecooked meal. The class, which was part of the university’s Black History Month 2022: Cultivating Black Joy programming series, was intended to give students (especially BIPOC) the opportunity to connect with Caribbean culture in an authentic way.

The Kitchener-based chef’s love affair with food began when she was a child growing up in Guyana, helping her mother in the kitchen. Although she immigrated to Canada when she was 16 years old, she never lost touch with her roots, instead using her knowledge of Guyanese cooking to bring joy to those around her.

Vanessa’s Cuisine started in May 2020 after Simon realized that there was a demand for authentic Caribbean food in her community. While she was cooking for her family one day, one of Simon’s children asked if they could bring a friend some leftovers. The friend ended up loving the food, and word quickly spread that Simon was a talented cook.

Although the beginning of a global pandemic might seem like a particularly challenging time to start a business, Vanessa’s Cuisine has seen huge success.

Simon says that the temporary closure of many restaurants at the beginning of the pandemic actually ended up working in her favour, as many people were looking for take-home dining options.

Additionally, Simon had suddenly found herself with more time than ever before to focus on her cooking. She had previously worked as a nurse for many years but was forced to take a break after sustaining an injury during a car accident.

“Things ended up happening at the perfect time,” she said.

Now, almost two years later, Vanessa’s Cuisine is still going strong. People from across the region regularly come to Simon to get their fix of authentic Caribbean food, and her customer base is constantly growing.

“Most of my business comes through word of mouth,” she said. “When I cater an event for one person, two or three other people who attended that event will approach me later about cooking for them.”

Simon says that it feels “surreal” that her business has become so successful in such a short period of time, but anyone who has had the pleasure of interacting with Simon will take it as no surprise.

Her love for others and her passion for taking care of people shine, whether she’s adding an extra serving to your plate, or showing you how to make curried chickpeas.

“When I worked as a nurse, I took pride at the end of the day knowing that my patients were clean and safe and well taken care of. Now I take pride knowing that the people who eat my food are taken care of as well. When I put out love, I know it will come back to me.”

Although Simon says that she was initially a bit nervous about the U of G event, it ended up being a huge success.

“Our event went very well,” she said. “It was so much fun. I’m looking forward to many more cooking classes with the U of G community.”

During the Feb. 8 event, Vanessa Simon gave step-by-step cooking instructions while U of G students followed along in their own kitchens. CREDIT: VANESSA SIMON

You can find Vanessa Simon on Instagram at @vanessascuisine_kw or on her website at vanessascuisine.com.

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