Haile Thomas

As far back as I can remember, I’ve been a foodie. Coming from two Jamaican parents, even before I was born, I was getting a taste of rich flavors and bold spices from dishes like curry goat, stewed oxtail, and jerk everything that my mom ate while she was pregnant with me. With vibrant and diverse food in my blood, as a kid, I was always an adventurous eater. As soon as I was old enough, around five years old, my mom started teaching me how to cook. I loved watching and learning from her as she moved about the kitchen effortlessly and with such confidence and creativity beaming out of her and flowing into all of her creations. By the age of eight, my favorite things to do were visiting new restaurants and trying exotic ingredients, losing my mind at cultural food festivals, and watching the Food Network (literally watching the Food Network was like my version of watching cartoons on Nickelodeon). I was always enamored by the world and getting a taste of it through food.