From childhood chef to pan chicken champ

When Totlyn McDonald was just seven years old, she made a wood fire and began preparing a meal of ackee and salt fish at her home in Leith Hall, St Thomas.

One of her aunts, sceptical of eating from such a young child, vowed not to touch the meal. But minutes later, the aroma filled the air, and after tasting it, the aunt declared it the most delicious meal she had ever eaten. McDonald's passion for cooking only grew from there, consistently serving up mouthwatering dishes for her household. Fast-forward three decades, and her culinary skills have brought her national recognition. On Sunday, McDonald was crowned the winner of the PAN 2024 finals, held at Independence Park, St Elizabeth. She also triumphed in the Grace Sauce Boss competition, besting 31 other finalists from across the island with her expertly crafted sauce paired with her PAN chicken.

The 38-year-old told THE STAR that her victory was due not only to her special seasonings, but also to the warmth and love she puts into her cooking.

"I am always smiling, even when I am not in a good mood. I have a positive energy whenever I am cooking, and that is what I believe sets me above the rest. It's not just a job for me--I enjoy what I do. I have a passion for the culinary field. I also learnt to cook the authentic way, which is on a wood fire -- the kind of stove that you can hardly gauge," she said.

Earlier this year, a series of medical exams revealed that she was suffering from hypothyroidism, the same ailment that has affected dancehall superstar Vybz Kartel. Hypothyroidism, often resulting from Graves' disease, is a disorder of the endocrine system, where the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones. Symptoms include a poor ability to tolerate cold, extreme fatigue, muscle aches, constipation, slow heart rate, depression, and weight gain.

McDonald disclosed that over the period of the competition, she was extremely ill and would have to wear compression stockings to rid her of the discomfort that she was feeling in her legs. She said sections of her body were extremely swollen and painful, and she was also suffering from dizzy spells.

"When it come down to the finals and mi hear mi name, it was a whirlwind of emotions; mi just a bawl suh, the way mi happy. All of my hard work was finally paying off, because the past two years has been extremely rough, and God made supme good happen this year," she said.

Meanwhile, in addition to being a pan chicken vendor, McDonald sells charcoal for a living. She attributes her culinary skills to her parents and is proud to be following her dreams.

"My parents loved to cook. Growing up, we lived with in an extended family and we were just always cooking a big pot. In primary school, I did home economics, but started doing business at Seaforth High School. But a teacher told me to stick to my passion and encouraged me to continue with food and nutrition," she said.

McDonald could not contain her emotions after being announced the winner on Sunday.

"Mi say I put down one piece a cow bawling. I didn't expect to win at all. I thought I was going to come third or something. But when I heard the names of the third and second place announced and it wasn't mine, it never once crossed my mind that I would be the winner. I am so happy, and even now it still doesn't feel real," she said.

Basking in her winnings, McDonald said she will be using a portion of her prize money to complete her cookshop in her community.

"I had started it but couldn't finish it because of a lack of finance. I still managed to cook and sell, but the shop will let my thing look more professional. Business was never bad, but I know this win will make it better. This has always been my dream, and now I am living it," she said.