Shacafrica Simmons

Growing up, food was a place of happiness for our family. One of my first memories is of my grandmother’s Bahamian pigeon, peas, and rice with blue crab, fried mullet and conch fritters. Every Friday there was a multitude of fish: fried, stewed, and boiled. Living in Delray Beach, Florida, a coastal city, there was plenty of fresh seafood. Caribbean and Southern cultures ruled in our house.

My grandfather introduced me to cooking and sparked my desire to create delicious concoctions—that’s what he called his unorthodox creations. I was five-years-old and my grandfather woke me and said, come on I’m going to show you how to cook an egg. My grandmother had forgotten to cook his eggs before she left for work—she’s a nurse and a very good cook as well. The patriarch started me in the kitchen, but the matriarch nurtured my skill and taught me how to layer flavor. My mother Sharon is an amazing cook. I am always flattered when she wants me to cook, but I am also always happy to have my mom’s flavorful creations.