17/03/2024
Meet the...
Chef: Winsome 👩🏿‍🍳
1. Where does your love of cooking come from?
I love cooking because my mom was a brilliant cook. People from far away, from different towns, and everywhere used to come for her food. I wanted to be able to replicate that. To be honest, I don’t think I’ll ever get there because she was just a great cook.
2. Have you always been a confident chef?
I've had to work at it. You always want that special taste; you want it to be right. It’s about getting the balance of everything. Sometimes, I think I’ve hit it spot on, and other times, my son will tell me, you’ve done too much there, mum, or you've done too little.
3. How important are home-cooked meals? What do they symbolise for you?
Home cooking is where it starts for me. There’s an authenticity about it. If you grew up in my era, your parents would likely have cooked everything. We never really had fast food, which is not the case for everyone nowadays. You could really taste the quality, and that made a real difference.
4. How often do you cook?
I cook at least three times a week, but it never feels like a chore. I absolutely love cooking. It's one of my hobbies, my pastimes. I come alive when I’m cooking, and I just like to be in my kitchen. Whether I'm turning my pots down or I'm looking to see if they're getting on OK, tasting…
To be honest, by the time I've finished trying everything. I'm not actually hungry by the time the food's finished. But that usually just means I'm getting it exactly how I want it to be. I love cooking!
5. How important are quality ingredients?
Quality ingredients are key, and I pride myself on using premium produce. If you're going to do something, do it well because that will make a massive difference with the end product. I want people to know they’re eating the very best.
6. How do you want people to feel once they’ve eaten your food?
I personally would like to know that everything that I've cooked for someone to eat they've enjoyed. And they can’t wait for another meal. It's the sort of thing that gives you the inspiration to want to do this and to know that it’s really worth doing. It's important to me what people think. It's very inspiring when people say they've loved that food or that was wicked. That food was tun up! The amount of different comments, but they all make me smile, because that's what I want. I would like to know that I'm pleasing customers, people, friends and family…because it's an art that I love doing.
7. What would you say makes your food special?
My food stands out because it combines my artistry with my mother’s. My mother was such a good cook, so in order to have her name on my logo, I have to live up to that. My food is made with a lot of love and absolute dedication!
8. What can people expect when they order your food?
When you order from my menu, first and foremost, I hope you enjoy your food. You can expect a meal made with the best ingredients and, therefore, lots of flavour. I want you to finish eating, want seconds, and then tell all your friends. I don’t just make one type of food, either. We have dishes from different cuisines, with my own twists. I believe there is something on the menu for everyone, so you should try everything.
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