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Jamaican Trevane “Tre” Sanderson, a chef based in Ontario, Canada, is the winner of Season 10 of “Top Chef Canada.” Prior to appearing on “Top Chef Canada,” Sanderson garnered more than 10 years of culinary experience working at some of the best restaurants in Toronto, including Baro and Hotel X. He currently works at Vela as Chef de Partie. He draws his inspiration from his Jamaican heritage but also enjoys implementing a variety of cooking styles and techniques from different cultures into his dishes. Below are a dozen things to know about the “Top Chef Canada” Season 10 winner.

1. Sanderson is the first Black man and the first Jamaican to win the “Top Chef Canada” competition.
2. He wants to inspire a new generation of chefs by modernizing Caribbean cuisine.
3. His strategy for winning the competition was based on paying homage to the culture and traditions of his beloved Jamaica.
4. Sanderson’s mother was born and raised in St. Elizabeth and moved to Canada when she was 18 in search of a better life.
5. He fell in love with food early on and admired how his mother fused Caribbean flavors in their Toronto kitchen.
6. He enjoyed helping his mother cook and learned much about his Jamaican heritage from her while doing so.
7. Sanderson attended culinary arts school and worked at restaurants in the Toronto area after graduation before he took advantage of the opportunity to enter “Top Chef Canada.”
8. He purchased the fresh ingredients for his winning dish at the farmers’ market in the Cayman Islands, where the finale was recorded.
9. Since winning, he has appeared on television several times, showcasing dishes with Caribbean flavors.
10. Sanderson believes Jamaica has the best flavors in the world and that its herbs and spices should be used in a contemporary way so that the cuisine gets the attention it deserves.
11. Sanderson visited Jamaica in 2019 for a trip that represented a kind of homecoming as he had spent most of his life hearing and learning about the island from his family and enjoyed the chance to experience these things for himself.
12. Sanderson’s favorite Jamaican foods are jerk chicken, oxtail, curried chicken, and jerk pork, with all served with a side of traditional rice and peas.

Photo – Instagram

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Have you ever thought about the quality, yes, the quality of what you are giving to God? For some of us, we take great care in making sure the things we give to others meet certain standards. If it is for someone we truly love, we aim for the best. The opposite is also true. We are offended if we receive a gift of questionable quality because no matter the size of the gift, we regard its quality as an indicator of the giver’s feelings towards us. That’s because quality matters. If we feel that way, how do you think God feels?

These thoughts came to mind as I reflected on Proverbs 3:9, “Honor GOD with everything you own; give Him the first and the best” (The Message). While this admonition may have referred to certain Old Testament practices, the practical applications extend to and beyond our times. It is worth remembering that everything we own, our money and other possessions, belong to the Lord. We are simply stewards of those possessions – people who manage property or other affairs for someone else.  The psalmist reminds us, “The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein” (Psalm 24:1, KJV), and from the Chronicles writer, “Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all” (1 Chronicles 29:11).

It stands to reason that if we are giving back to the Owner what is rightfully His, then the quality of what we give matters.  Beyond our logic, however, is the fact that this is what He requires.  When we offer something to God, He pays attention to how we offer it and the quality. To the dishonoring priests of the day, His rebuke was unmistakable: “‘A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? . . . And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? Offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person?’ saith the LORD of hosts” (Malachi 1:8, KJV). In other words, if the governor would not accept what was offered, why would you think it good enough for Me, the LORD?  The quality matters. Instead of offering God the best, they offered Him what they did not want and the leftovers. His response included this indictment, “I have no pleasure in you . . . neither will I accept an offering at your hand” (v. 10b). Clearly, He was not amused!

Jesus affirmed quality when He said to the enquiring lawyer, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment” (Matthew 22:37). Notice He used the words “with all” in the three domains – heart, soul, and mind. Loving God this way involves offering the best of ourselves, our substance, and our service at work, school, church, and everywhere we find ourselves. It is what He requires, and He accepts nothing less. “Honor GOD with everything you own; give Him the first and the best.” How are you doing in this area? What is the quality of what you are giving back to God?

The post WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL – The Quality Matters! appeared first on Jamaicans.com.

Ria Graham, whose mother is from Trinidad and father is from Grenada, her husband, Jamaican-born Kevol Graham, created the Kokomo restaurant in Brooklyn with the goal of providing their guests with as authentic a Caribbean experience as could be enjoyed without leaving New York. The restaurant was features by Forbes magazine. Ria loves the historic and versatile nature of the Caribbean and its mix of African, Asian, European, and American cultures, and she wanted to tell its stories through Kokomo’s food.

The couple’s desire to reflect the love of the Caribbean did not stop with the restaurant’s menu items, however. They designed Kokomo with a high level of detail, utilizing the services of designer Dara Young of The Aviva Collective to create intimate dining spaces that were inspired by Caribbean motifs. For example, the focal point of its main dining room is a communal table where groups of people can enjoy their Caribbean meal while they view the bamboo bar, a feature that symbolizes strength and positive energy, Ria said. The main room also displays an art installation designed by Young that is a recreation of a Caribbean village in miniature.

Kevol Graham was born in Kingston, Jamaica. His mother comes from St. Ann, while his father is from St. Mary. He was raised by his grandmother in Jamaica until he went to live with his parents in New York at an early age. “Mama Mac,” his grandmother, raised Kevol and his siblings in St. Catherine’s Spanish Town. Ria’s mother was raised in Point Fortin, Trinidad, while her father comes from an island off the coast of Grenada, Carriacou.

Both Kevol and Ria were raised in New York. Ria worked in the restaurant hospitality industry after she graduated from college, while Kevol was a party promotion pioneer who had 15 years of experience in promotional marketing. He worked with several cutting-edge chefs that hosted food events throughout the United States. It was this experience that spurred his passion for the culinary arts. Ria and Kevol met when Ria was marketing for a Caribbean restaurant, and a group of private chefs was hired to promote an event. Kevol was one of the chefs, and he made excuses to visit her office until he finally asked her out. She agreed, and “the rest is history,” he said. When she told him about a restaurant that was up for sale, he recognized it as their opportunity to bring their unique perspectives to the culinary scene.

The success of Kokomo stems from its fusion of cultures known for excellent food. It allowed the Grahams to bring something new to the local culture, filling a void in a place where there was a lack of Caribbean food options. The fusion of foods and cultures meant they had the chance to step outside the norm and change the way Caribbean food is perceived.

The Grahams plan to expand the Kokomo brand in the future.

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