Chef looking to ‘spice up’ world cuisine

Leon Grant has always loved the idea of cooking and preparing food, so having a career as a chef was just a simple option for him.

But he also loved the idea of creating his own spices and seasoning for his food, and two years ago, he got the opportunity to do so.

"I have been a chef for over 20 years and I had a friend who asked me to make Indian curry for him and supply a company because he was leaving the island. He showed me how to make it and then I decided to branch off and start doing my own thing," he said.

Grant, who now owns Leon's Island Spice, not only makes his own curry, but he also makes spicy and mild jerk seasoning.

He said that it has been a blessing to be able to do something that he loves, while providing something that people look forward to getting.

However, the road to success was not the easiest because of lack of support at the beginning. But now he said calls are coming in and he is pleased.

The product, according to him, is all natural and people can look forward to a flavourful meal when they use his products.

"I work at the Caribbean Maritime University as a chef and I sell them every month. I have not met anyone who is not satisfied with my product because I have other people who have been supporting me," he said.

Remembering his first encounter with the stove, Grant said that he was only 10 years old when he started cooking, and he has not regretted any moment of it.

For him, this first encounter was the path to creating an empire in the food industry, which he plans to do with these spices.

"I have four siblings on my mother's side and when my father left for the States back in the day, it pushed me to do something to help her out. So I always cook porridge for my younger siblings because I was the oldest, and friends started to come over now and everyone wanted me to cook. Dem always a seh 'Leon cook man'," he said.

The Portland native said that he catered to roughly 100 people when he first started, and from then he knew he was worth it.

He said that with all the support that he is now getting, he is hoping to make a great impact in Jamaica, and by extension the world.