CHEF CLAUDIA PARKINSON - Living her dream

Among the delights of life that bring people together while aligning cultures is food, and Chef Claudia Parkinson knows that only too well.

For the last eight years, the St Mary native has been feeding the family and guests of three British high commissioners to Jamaica, serving Asif Ahmad and Judith Slater, and now Alicia Herbert.

A broad smile creased her face as she spoke with The Gleaner while deftly ensuring that guests were enjoying their meals during a recent reception celebrating the English Premier League trophy’s visit to Jamaica.

“It's been great. Different, different experiences. Different, different cuisines. My specialty is Italian, but with Asif (Ahmad), I learnt Indian and Filipino. Then with Philip (Slater’s husband), I learnt a few Turkish [dishes] along the way, and some vegetarian. Now with Alicia [who is Trinidad born], she's going to teach me a few little Trini. She showed me how to make lamb tagine right now. So, with them I get a lot of different experiences. Last week I had a function [and] I had to incorporate some, um, Scottish menu; so sometimes I do get menus that I have to incorporate the countries and who's taking part in it as well, and fusion it with a little Jamaican.”

Having to satisfy the eclectic tastes of diplomats and their families has helped her become more diverse in her kitchen.

“And that has helped me grow, as a matter of fact, because I was, like, steadfast Italian and now I'm more versatile. And I'm even making pastry, because I never used to make pastry before. Asif put me in pastry. My first pastry that I made here was a strawberry cheesecake, and now I just, like, go in a book or something, I write a menu, and go make a pastry. So, it's really, I've grown. Being here, I've grown, and it opened my eyes. I travel, I do things, so you know, it's really broad.”

The typical tour for high commissioners lasts four years so it means rotating changes as each diplomat’s term of office ends, but Parkinson told The Gleaner she has learnt to pivot quickly.

“No, it's not [difficult]. It's not, because my main thing here is dietary requirements. Okay, even for a sit-down dinner, anything, I have to get the dietary [needs]. So, actually when I—and to tell you a thing, when I interviewed for this job, I had to make vegan, vegetarian, and regular. So, whenever I make a menu, those three options are always there. So, doing it you get versatile as the years go by. It's not hard. You really look forward to the challenge and love doing it.”

A self-acclaimed sports fan, she also reflected on the EPL Trophy Tour stopping in Jamaica.

“It's a big deal.  A lot of Jamaicans are really, really Premier League fans. I'm a United (Manchester) fan, the HC is Liverpool, the one before was Chelsea, Asif was Liverpool. So, a lot of us … and every day we are joined with each other. There's a lot of Arsenal guys here; and a new diplomat, he's Leeds. So, you know, we are always joined by each other. So, I think it's a really big deal. It was really, really important because all the Jamaicans really take to the Premier League. So, I was honoured to do the appetizers. So, you know, it's just another thing to write down in my book to give my grandson.”

And she admits to having moments that she can scarcely believe she is cooking at this level and watching the joy on people’s face as they enjoy her meals. “Sometimes I tear up. I said, I wish my mom was alive, because she was the first one that always said, ‘You're too great to be around here.’ And to know that I get to meet these people now who, you know, when I was a girl I would normally see them on TV or hear them on the radio. You know, now I come, I see, like, a lot of them come in and say, ‘Hi chef, how are you?’; and … so it's great. Um, my son loves Leon Bailey. The other day he came, I took a picture, it was all over Instagram. So, you know, sometimes they say it's never too late, you know; you take the journey, take the road and voilà!”

It’s why she encourages children who want to cook at the highest level to chase their dreams.

“Keep, keep practising. Cooking is an art. Every day you wake up you have a brand new canvas -  paint. Just paint. Don't, don't, don't let anybody tear you down. Believe in yourself, because you're a brand. I always tell my co-workers and everybody, ‘You're a brand, sell yourself.’ You have to sell yourself, because if you don't sell yourself, no one else is going to sell it for you? Just knowing that you wake up and you have a clean slate to start over on is priceless. So keep stepping up.”

karen.madden@gleanerjm.com