St. Lucia has always been known for its twin peaks, the Pitons and its two Nobel Laureates. A few years ago, the island would become famous for one of its daughters who became a runner-up in one of the world’s top reality cooking shows.
Never before has St. Lucia garnered so much attention as a result of the culinary skills of one of its nationals, namely Chef Nina Compton. She performed spectacularly before an International audience numbering in the millions. She was then succeeded by a son of the soil who would perform just as outstandingly.
Given the amazing successes of these two chefs, it’s no wonder that more talented young chefs are emerging and touching the lives of many.
Meet 36-year old Chef Shorne Benjamin, a St. Lucian master chef based in Brooklyn, New York. For the past seven years he has gained popularity for his ability to infuse Lucian cuisine with a modern flair.
Shorne Benjamin hails from Entrepot, Castries. A past student of the Marchand Combined and Leon Hess Comprehensive Secondary, he left St. Lucia in 1998 to study finance at Mercy College in New York. Subsequently, he landed a job as a stockbroker at the Bank of New York Mellon on Wall Street. When the tides got rough during the 2008-09 financial crisis, Chef Shorne had to reconsider his career path. He attended and graduated from the French Culinary Institute in New York. He currently resides at Andaz 5th Avenue and is the Executive Chef of his own catering company, ShorCulinaire. We sat down with Chef Shorne to discuss the spicy experiences that have flavoured his career path and taken him to where he is today.
Tell us about your origins and what led to to you becoming Chef Shorne.
Shorne: It goes back to my grandmother from Soufriere. I was always in the kitchen with her. I used to be intrigued by what she cooked and always wanted to know what culinary options were out there. Everything she did would be stewed; stewed chicken and green figs. Eventually my cousin Carleen Dennis went to Alabama to study hospitality management and came back preparing some amazing dishes that I had never seen. That opened my eyes and made me realise that there is more than stewed chicken and green figs.
My grandmother taught me basic cooking. I used that as leverage to get out of going to church every Sunday with my family. I would ask to stay home to cook Sunday lunch instead and I got my wish. Sunday lunch is a big thing in St. Lucia and that was my practice run.
What inspired the change from Wall Street to Chef Shorne?
Shorne: Basically, I wasn’t satisfied. I was bored with
the repetitive work, and not doing what I really wanted to do. I always wanted to open my own restaurant. I had to weigh the options of being established in a steady job or going outside of that box.
What was the transition like from Wall Street to the culinary arts?
Shorne: The markets crashed around 2008 and I
was laid off from my job. At the time, I was thirty. I thought to myself, should I play this out or go to another industry? I decided to follow my passion to be a chef and go to Culinary School. I checked out different schools and the programs they offered. Leaving Wall Street meant I had to start all over, change my way of life and take a pay cut. I wasn’t comfortable with that. I had to abandon living in my comfort zone.
What drives you?
Shorne: I always rely on my heritage of Caribbean cuisine, although I think it hasn’t been elevated enough. I’m driven to improve that. I look at other islands in the Caribbean that have taken their cuisine to another level. As a result, I developed a style called New Age Caribbean Cuisine. I took what my grandmother taught me and came up with my own interpretation of it. It is more of a contemporary, modern approach to that type of cuisine. It uses the same ingredients but highlighted differently. My style does not hold me back. Food has evolved. Everybody is looking for the next new thing.
How well do St. Lucians in New York embrace you? Shorne: I’ve contributed my craft to events for NY Caribbean week and many others throughout the year. St. Lucians in New York definitely embrace me and New Age Caribbean Cuisine. They are proud of what I do and the support comes from all age groups.
Tell us about ShorCulinaire.
Shorne: ShorCulinaire is a business entity that allows me to fully promote my brand and New Age Caribbean Cuisine. We do specialized events, catering and so forth. The biggest event that we’ve done was a showcase for New York’s Food and Wine Festival on October 17th 2015. They were impressed with my professional portfolio and cooking style and I was granted the opportunity to be a part of the event.
What are some of the other major events that you’ve participated in?
Shorne: I got the opportunity to showcase my culinary skills at the Taste of Montreal festival and at
the 11th Annual Iron Chef Competition in Toronto. I also participated in the 2015 Haitian Food & Spirits Festival and got to work with young aspiring chefs there.
Which of those events stands out in your mind?
Shorne: Two years ago I represented St. Lucia at Iron Chef in Toronto. I made it to the semi-final round
and faced off against a Taiwanese chef. I felt proud to represent St. Lucia and emphasise the fact that Caribbean food is more than just rice and peas. The reception was great! In my heart, I won.
My biggest achievement thus far is New York’s Food and Wine Festival, and being recognized by Food Network and the audience that it exposes you to.
Have any hotels or restaurants in St. Lucia embraced you?
Shorne: After eleven years, this is my first time back on the island, and that was after receiving
an invitation from Cap Maison. They feature chefs through their guest chef series twice a year and I’m thankful for being selected as the first chef.
Have you worked with any international chefs?
Shorne: I had the opportunity to work with
the master chef, Jean George at the popular ABC Restaurant. Working with him helped me to define my path more clearly, in terms of not abandoning my culinary heritage. He is a mastermind who takes street food from different parts of the world he has visited, plates it, and makes it fine dining. As a chef, you have to interpret food differently.
What challenges does one encounter as a young entrepreneur in the food business?
Shorne: There is no obstacle. It all falls on the individual. It is also based on what you want. Some chefs want exposure. For me, it is all about pushing myself. I have to do the work. The only thing I can ask for is more time.
How do you cater to persons who are health conscious?
Shorne: Sometimes you have to allow the food to be showcased as natural as possible rather than dilute it.
It’s all about the cooking process. The Caribbean has many ingredients which can be used in the right way. We have many root vegetables, fruits and healthy options, it’s just the way we use it.
Who inspires you?
Shorne: I’ve looked up to Jean George and Marcus Samuelsson. I look up to Marcus because of his heritage. He’s Ethiopian and he has a deep, rich culture. He’s kind of like me in the sense that he’s been away from home but he’s bringing back that authenticity to his cooking. The other person I would say is Nina Compton. She had the opportunity to showcase her ability, being an island girl and interpreting other people’s food with her Caribbean style. That’s one of the things I like to display, to evoke an emotional attachment to the food. As a chef you evoke feelings in someone when you prepare a dish. For me I put my heart into a dish, which is where I am at today. You have to respect the food and the art that it brings.
How did you enjoy working with St. Lucians?
Shorne: It was a beautiful opportunity to work with the guys from Cap Maison. They were impressed with
what I brought to the table. They applauded me for thinking outside of the box by using local produce.
Where do you see yourself in the next five to ten years?
Shorne: I would like to open a restaurant and have it featured in St. Lucia, Toronto and the UK. I see myself
as the Bob Marley of Culinary.
What other types of cooking do you like to tap into apart from New Age Caribbean?
Shorne: I like to infuse Latin flavours in my cuisine, as well as Thai.
What’s next for you in the short term?
Shorne: I would like to publish a cookbook with New Age Caribbean Signature dishes. This is already in the works.
