Shaloma

Chef Shaloma describes herself as a lifelong chef. A vegetarian herself, she cooks it all because she loves the art of cooking. Always one for growth, she prides herself on being a private chef who can cater to all.

‘To put it bluntly, I have been a chef for all my life. The long road to being a private chef began at childhood. I am originally from Jamaica, my family was big on food, and even as a child, I was hooked on cooking; always popping into the kitchen at family events, and finding something to do. As a teen, I experimented extensively by cooking whole meals for my family.’

Shaloma went onto university before graduating in International Hospitality Management at the University of Surrey. Shaloma was extremely successful, working in amazing restaurants such as Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen, and Jamie Oliver’s Italian, amongst others. However, the pandemic led to hardship as many restaurants were forced to close down which lead Shaloma to set up her own catering business and takeaway company.

‘Caribbean and Asian cuisines are my absolute favourites. I am a vegetarian, and I have cooked Caribbean food all my life. As a vegetarian, my own choices in this cuisine are limited, but as my brothers grew up, they wanted to have chicken so I learned to cook it - jerk chicken, goat curries, etc. That’s the food I’ll cook for my family to have a good time’.

Shaloma has been able to learn from top and expert chefs such as Genaro Contaldo. ‘What makes me so passionate about cooking is having the opportunity to be creative and put my own twist and presentation skills on each dish so clients can enjoy their experience. I love developing myself, as time persists, I can become an even better version of myself. One such example of growth is in my early days working in Bread Street Kitchen, I was faced with an eel dish. Mind you, I am a vegetarian and I had not come across a dish like that before. I took it upon myself as a challenge and mastered it. I have cooked it many times since. That’s my food - comfortable and enjoyable by all, like my brothers enjoying my chicken’.