Friday, September 03, 2010
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A Montgomery native shines bright on an upcoming Food Network show. Have you ever felt you were destined for greatness? That there was a star out there with your name on it? Montgomery native Jamika Pessoa believes she has what it takes to really shine, and she’s not waiting for fortune to smile on her—she’s walked right up to fortune and introduced herself by entering the Food Network’s popular reality show, “The Next Food Network Star.” She’s one of 10 finalists from around the country who will appear on the show’s season premiere on June 7 on the Food Network. The series pits the hopeful chefs against each other as they compete for the ultimate job in food: his or her own Food Network television show. Chef Bobby Flay leads the selection committee that will decide the chefs’ fate as they make their way through a litany of complex cooking challenges. The star-studded fifth season of the show will include many guest appearances from famous Food Network personalities like Rachel Ray, Alton Brown and others. Jamika, age 30, who now lives and works as a personal chef in Atlanta, grew up in Montgomery and graduated from St. Jude’s High School. Her parents, Winston and Vilma are a dentist and doctor in the capital city. Her sister and other members of her extended family reside in Montgomery as well. It was during her childhood in Montgomery that Jamika learned to cook her first dish. “I was about seven years old, and my grandma called me into the kitchen,” she said. “She taught me to make scrambled eggs. From then on I cooked off and on throughout my life. But I’d put it down and do other things for a while. Every time I came back to it, I’d fall in love with it all over again. After trying a few other things, I finally realized cooking was my true life’s work.” If you look at Jamika’s family, it’s no big surprise that the culinary world would call her and capture her heart. Both her cooking style and food philosophy are inspired by several relatives who sizzle in the kitchen themselves. “My dad is from the Caribbean and has influenced me with his Jamaican cooking,” she said. “He taught me to make jerk, and to really bring spice to the table. His idea is if you are not sweating while you’re eating, then something is wrong! And my uncle from Trinidad taught me curry food and how to put love into everything I make. My mom actually doesn’t cook at all. She’s a great mom, but no cooking.” Jamika took her family influences and melded them with the Southern style of cooking she encountered in Montgomery. “That marriage of flavors and styles really works,” she said. A constant need to push herself motivated Jamika to enter the Food Network contest. “Being a chef was not my first career. I started out in marketing, and it was okay, but I didn’t feel like I was making a difference,” she said. “I wanted a career where I was a leader and essential, so once I got into cooking and found my space, it drove me to get better, learn more and exceed expectations with not just food, but also my professionalism. I want to motivate people not to just chase their dreams, but to outrun them. I watched the past seasons of the show, and thought, ‘I could do that.’” While Atlanta is home now, she still comes back to Montgomery and admitted that there are a few things about the city that she misses. “One thing Montgomery taught me was how to enjoy life and to enjoy myself. Other places I’ve lived are so fast-paced. In Montgomery, people take their time and are more laid back. When it gets too hectic for me in Atlanta, I love to come back home. My parents’ house in Montgomery is still the most comfortable place for me. I love the small town atmosphere and knowing everyone, and I miss that too sometimes.” Her family is no doubt proud of her success so far, and they never miss a chance to get a taste of her talents. On every one of her many visits home to Montgomery, Jamika is expected to whip up something delicious at mom and dad’s. “Before I even leave Atlanta to come home, I have a list from them. My sister gets the groceries, and then I’m to cook it all. Sometimes I’ll cook a week’s worth of food, and they freeze it,” she said. When she has the time to cook for herself—which is not very often—Jamika turns to classic comfort foods and the recipes of her heritage. “I love anything warm and cheesy,” she said. “A good mac and cheese will do it. I also like to cook Caribbean food. I like to take my family’s old recipes and change them up.” Jamika said she knows she’s doing what she was meant to do. “When you are in the place you are supposed to be, the tasks don’t seem as difficult,” she said. She’s taking that confidence, along with her recipe repertoire, with her to the Food Network, and you can watch and cheer her on starting Sunday, June 7. You can also go to www.foodnetwork.com to vote for your favorite contestant (who will, of course, be the hometown gal Jamika). “I’d love to have Montgomery watching and supporting me,” she said. “But they should watch no matter what. This show is so good, whether you like food or not. It’s got comedy, drama and some serious competition.” Jamika also had a message she wants to deliver to Montgomerians. “Don’t ever take where you come from for granted, but keep pushing and see how far you can go,” she said.
Jerk is a style of cooking native to Jamaica in which meats (traditionally pork and goat, but now including chicken, fish, beef, sausage and even tofu) are nestled in a fiery spice mixture. Jerk seasoning principally relies upon two items: allspice (Jamaican pimento) and Scotch bonnet peppers (among the hottest peppers in the world). The real heat of the Scotch bonnet pepper is in the seeds, so if you can’t take the heat, only utilize the pepper, discarding the seeds.
Measure and pour all ingredients into a blender and mix until smooth.
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