Chef Jessica Carmen Shamley

My culinary journey began at the age of 16 when I attended my first cooking class - a curry class in Fordsburg, Johannesburg. Fordsburg is known as a predominantly Indian area in Johannesburg. The first job in a professional kitchen (age 26) was as a kitchen skivvy - but within six months I was the head chef cooking for The Sisal. The Sisal was a vegetarian & vegan restaurant in Troyeville. My cooking style has always been strongly influenced by my environment. I was fortunate enough to grow up in what used to be referred to as a 'gray area' in aparthied South Africa. A gray area is a multi-cultural area. Rich in cultural diversity where I was introduced to a tapestry of different cultures and cuisines. From authentic Mozambician crab curries, Cape Malay fish dishes to Greek spanakopita, Italian mama's food and middle eastern deep rich flavours to name just a few. More recently living in Scarborough and discovering foraging and sourcing from local produce - making fresh pasta from ostrich egg and seaweed salad to accompany fresh mussles and sea urchin for its delicate Uni, foraged at low tide. I love to take simple fresh ingredients that are seasonal and local and elevate them, to create something unique and delicious.