The interviewee in this interview in Jamaican Chef Celeste Gordon, who is the author of several cooking blogs and is a worker for NyamJam Festival in Jamaica –a festival that celebrates authentic Jamaican spirit, culture, and cuisine. Gordon is a profound cook and famous for her notable for her cooking performances all throughout the Caribbean. Here is the basis of our interview:

 

So how did your cooking career begin?

I tell people that my cooking career began as a child. I come from a big family, and a lot of our celebrations centered around family dinners. Everybody was in the kitchen, everybody was contributing in some way, so I was trained from early on. I took some cooking classes in my teenage years and ever since I’ve just always had a love for cooking. I’ve been cooking professionally for over a decade.

 

What is your role in the NyamJam festival?

I am like the ambassador of Jamaican food. Everywhere in the world is already familiar with Jamaican jerk chicken, but we try to promote other cuisines here in the festival.

 

Are there possibly any new food trends in Jamaica?

Our culture has become more wine-centric. There are becoming more wine tastings and pairings throughout the country. If you happen to visit again you will see different types of wine instead of just one brand.

 

Is there any Jamaican ingredients or techniques you would ever share with another chef?

When I’ve traveled abroad I’ve always noticed that chefs tend to use salt and pepper. Here our food gets seasoned with everything. And by everything, I mean everything. We season everything with thyme, garlic, and scallions. If you give Jamaicans just salt and pepper they will think it’s too bland!

 

What distinguishes Jamaican cuisine from other Caribbean cuisines?

Well first, there is jerk and there’s nothing else quite like it. It’s just a way of cooking that nobody else has ever done. Jamaican food as a whole can be very natural. We tend to never use anything canned or processed. For example, Jamaican could definitely tell the difference between canned tomatoes and fresh tomatoes. I believe that is the main distinction from Jamaicans and the rest of the Caribbean.

 

What is one ingredient that will be found in every Jamaican household?

I have to say scallion. Everybody uses it. Jamaicans cook a lot of stew, stew peas, curry, and oxtail. The only thing we probably don’t use it for is dessert.

 

What would you suggest if you had to prepare a complete Jamaican menu?

You would probably think Jamaican jerk chicken, right? For me I would provide something different. Jerk pork and chicken were street food when I was growing up. It’s not something the average Jamaican cooks at home. I would suggest oxtail stew, rice and peas, fried plantain, and a fresh green salad for starters.

 

What are the main difficulties in Jamaican cuisine?

Many Jamaican dishes take a long time to cook. Also, depending on where you live in the world, some Jamaican ingredients aren’t easy to find.