David Stewart: Born around a stove

Aspiring chef David Stewart said he was born around the stove. He has been cooking for as long as he could remember, learning all he could from his grandmother who raised him. "She taught me everything," he told Food in a recent interview.

He used his skills in the kitchen to pay his way through high school working after school at Coombs Catering in Duhaney Park, St Andrew. He also sold chicken and chips in the community. The former head boy of Edith Dalton high School started by cutting up chicken at Coombs. Two years later, he was head chef. After graduating with six Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) subjects (distinction in English language, technical drawing and electrical installation with a grade two in physics and mathematics and a grade three in social studies), he had hopes of attending the hospitality programme at University of Technology but was unable to due to financial constraints so when to work full time.

Food preparation

While working, he was able to complete the food-preparation programme at Washington Boulevard Human Employment And Resource Training (HEART) Academy. Last year, he entered the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission amateur chef category of their festival of foods and received a bronze for his red herring polenta and almond drops.

Last year, he assisted caterer Oji Jaja with Flow Christmas party. "It was a great experience, there were some 2,000 people there and I was at a live station doing shrimp and pasta. I did Flow Christmas party last year for about 2,000 persons. I was at a live station cooking shrimp and pasta in béchamel sauce.

He also broadened his horizon at Country Farm house. "I learn to bake without using eggs. Learning new things gives you a new way to look at things."

In pursuing what he was born to do, Stewart has applied to Boys' Town to do their Level III food-preparation programme to become a sous-chef and then executive chef.