Meet Kevin Wedderburn

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin Wedderburn.

Hi Kevin, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
When it comes to cooking, it is one of my fondest memories. From being a child in my grandmother’s kitchen with her and my mother, sitting with them as they cooked, giving me samples to taste. My mother and grandmother basically had me fully domesticated by nine years old. Being in a Jamaican household, I was taught how to be self-sufficient early. I basically started cooking full-course meals by the time I was in high school. Getting older, I would always experiment in the kitchen. I would get ideas from reading cookbooks to watching cooking shows. My mother and I would watch Julia Child, Emeril Lagasse, and shows like Iron Chef and Good Eats. I loved it. I knew then THAT was what I wanted to do with my life. Seeing people with that type of passion and love being able to share their love on a plate. Like when you try something new that’s so good, you bust into a little happy dance? That’s the feeling that I didn’t want to let go. In high school, I would always cook for my friends and classmates. Seeing the people that I care about enjoy what I love to do hits my soul differently. At 19, I started my first real restaurant job. I started as a dishwasher and worked my way up on the line and even up to management. I worked in many different restaurants, from corporate, catering to small businesses. I worked in almost all positions in a restaurant. When the pandemic hit, I was furloughed due to Covid, and then I knew I had to make something happen. I took my knowledge and experience from my professional background, my passion, and my determination to start my business Chef Slim’s Kitchen. The business motto that drives me is Changing lives one plate at a time.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The journey is challenging throughout the way. I’m still pretty new to the scene but I have come a long way from day one. It can be mentally draining for sure. Being a part of the culinary industry for so long, I am used to working under pressure. That pushes me to become a better chef. Working for myself shows me how much time we really have in a day. The challenges I face are mostly from myself. I am a perfectionist when it comes to my craft and serving people. I have served a variety of demographics of people, so dealing with “difficult people” is not an issue. The only thing that perplexes me is that people underestimate how much work it takes doing what we as chefs do on a day to day basis. I knew going into business for myself would be costly, but I am willing to invest in myself and my passion wholeheartedly. Starting a business is not easy. Maintaining a successful business is even harder but it is worth it in the long run.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a professional chef who also does catering, meal planning, and personal chef services. Jamaican cuisine is my native cuisine, but I also have a love for Latin, Asian, and Southern cuisine. After spending many years in the culinary industry, I have learned how to combine my culinary experiences and love of food onto a plate. I provide my clients with experiences that are memorable. I am mostly proud of myself for taking the risk of starting this business. I spoke this into fruition and excited to see what is to come. I think what sets me apart from others is being an all-around creative. I look at food like hearing the breakdown of a good song. The layers of the production, the content being the ingredients, and cook everything up to a fine concoction that you would want more of.

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
In my opinion, luck is circumstantial. Everything that has happened in my life has been a blessing, good and bad. The things I have no control over, I try not to stress over. We all have our days, but it’s a part of the process. Take enough losses, you learn how to win with grace.

Contact Info:

• Email: chefslimskitchen20@gmail.com
• Website: www.chefslimskitchen.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_chefslimskitchen/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/chefslimskitch1