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From court to the kitchen: Shadae Bailey shares the law of cooking

Published:Thursday | May 26, 2022 | 12:06 AMKrysta Anderson/Staff Reporter
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Chef Bailey serves up a whole jerk barbecued chicken with potatoes, carrots and corn on the cob.
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Chef Bailey serves up a whole jerk barbecued chicken with potatoes, carrots and corn on the cob.
It’s a twist on the famous Italian Marsala that food lovers dream of. Creamy chicken breast on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.
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It’s a twist on the famous Italian Marsala that food lovers dream of. Creamy chicken breast on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.
Bailey brings justice to this Jamaican delicacy: Slow braised oxtail cooked in a delicious, rich sauce, served with traditional rice and peas and steamed vegetables.
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Bailey brings justice to this Jamaican delicacy: Slow braised oxtail cooked in a delicious, rich sauce, served with traditional rice and peas and steamed vegetables.
This divorce and land lawyer, as well as criminal defence attorney, goes from high court to serving high-end gastronomic expereinces in her kitchen.
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This divorce and land lawyer, as well as criminal defence attorney, goes from high court to serving high-end gastronomic expereinces in her kitchen.
Her famous ‘tie me’ stew peas, made with cow skin and chicken foot, is paired perfectly with white rice, accompanied by steamed vegetables on the side.
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Her famous ‘tie me’ stew peas, made with cow skin and chicken foot, is paired perfectly with white rice, accompanied by steamed vegetables on the side.
Here’s a closer look at a tasty combination: sizzling cheesy shrimp and succulent jerk chicken.
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Here’s a closer look at a tasty combination: sizzling cheesy shrimp and succulent jerk chicken.
Shadae Bailey is a lawyer-chef who knows all about serving up culinary justice!
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Shadae Bailey is a lawyer-chef who knows all about serving up culinary justice!
Shadz Surf and Turf: stuffed lobster tail with cream-based sauce on top of pan-seared steak, creamy mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.
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Shadz Surf and Turf: stuffed lobster tail with cream-based sauce on top of pan-seared steak, creamy mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.
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With the innate ability to create tasty expressions of food, Shadae Bailey prides herself on being a lawyer who loves to cook. These days, the attorney goes from the courtroom to the kitchen, bringing justice to the culinary arts with a host of scrumptious dishes.

“I make the best oxtail. It has won hearts; literally. My stewed peas with pig’s tail and cow skin have the ‘tie me effect’. My coconut-pumpkin sap steam fish is very good; once I cook it, it usually has my signature written on it. I sign it with love and raw passion, and spices of course,” she told Food. Law can be a jealous mistress, but while she enjoys representing her clients, there’s nothing more gratifying and satisfying than eating a delicious healthy meal after a case. “The kitchen is my zen, it brings me peace, it grounds me and nourishes me to fight another day in court.” The space allows her to present this beautiful art form in a mouthwatering fashion. And those with an all-access pass are immediately exonerated from hunger.

Growing up, she recalled loving curried chicken, particularly curried chicken back. According to the culinary enthusiast, there’s a richness in curried chicken back that is unparalleled. “I also enjoyed pork chops and rice and peas, my grandma Lola’s ackee and corned pork and tin mackerel and rice with extra butter. On my Instagram food page, @lawyer_chefshadz, I find that my followers gravitate to my childhood favourite, when I pay homage to my roots through food, I get more likes. If I’m not cooking steak and salmon, I am cooking my childhood favourite. I love to pay tribute to my roots.”

But Bailey’s love for food really ignited when she went to Barbados to study law. She created a home away from home through her cooking and credits the move as the main reason for developing a curiosity for satisfying appetites and honing her natural abilities. “I have learnt to appreciate food and cooking, like poetry, as an imitation or expression of life. To capture the complexity and simplicity of living; the nuances through flavours and spices,” she added.

With her love of food established, she needed to build a compelling case for fulfilling the desire to share her passion with others. Inspired by the entrepreneurial drive of her father and encouragement from those who tasted her meals, she embarked on a new journey as a self-taught chef.

According to Bailey, the feedback so far has been amazing. People have both respected and admired her bold move because it shows that she can have her cake and eat it too.

“They are fascinated that a lawyer has some serious culinary skills; normally (arguably) lawyers are not in the kitchen, but I am. And I show others that it is okay to maintain your professional career and tap into other areas. We can take up spaces without limitation or fear. Recently, I was told by my loyal customer that my stewed peas was ‘wicked’, there were no seconds and they wanted more. The lawyers have been unanimous in their submission that my meals are ‘perfect’, especially my curried conch and my notorious stew peas,” she declared.

This discovery sparked calls to do more. And it was there that Boujee on a Budget was born. Staples on that menu include grilled steak with a red wine reduction, Irie-jerked chicken lasagna, chicken marsala, curried king crab, and honey glazed salmon. The idea behind the sizzling movement is that everyone, no matter their finances, can have the gastronomic luxury of an enchanting epicurean experience, at any time. “No need to pay crazy money to taste the opulence of the rich. Good food should not be exclusive to those who are financially well off, no, you eat like the Joneses but don’t spend like them.” Talk about serving culinary justice!

Her hope is to one day go into food catering full time and eventually own successful restaurants, all in the name of developing brand Shadae. “I have started doing weddings. And I want to do more private catering for birthdays, baby showers, romantic couple’s cooking sessions, and private dinner sessions. In my future high-end restaurant, I want to serve fried cooked dumplings. I don’t think people understand the gastronomic quality of fried cooked dumplings.”

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com