Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jawanza Small. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Jawanza thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

In 2020 during the covid pandemic, I dared to dream and introduced ‘Ital Kitchen Bim’ to the island of Barbados.
At that point it was the biggest thing I had ever done in my life. I invested everything I had and built a business – bought food containers, got branding, purchased ingredients, branded apparel.. I did it all. The idea existed in my head for years. At the time I wasn’t doing anything really important, just various small jobs trying to find my way. I had often heard perspectives of Ital food that made it sound bland and unattractive and in some cases I could relate to these perspectives. I was already very focused on food at that time, food is my love an passion, I grew up in the countryside of Barbados and in a family where you could always expect a pot of something or the other to be bubbling. I grew up with a very plant forward diet, vibrant flavours, spice, herbs, ground provisions.. just really good food. I just knew there was a different experience to be had. Hence Ital Kitchen was born. I took all I experienced from my childhood, all I learned from friends, from family and my own curious pursuits and I fleshed out a plan for a plant based concept that honoured tradition. connected with modern day people, was attractive, and explored cuisines from all over the world. It was a particularly great time to do it because the world was already trending in a more health conscious direction, and this aligned with the ethos of our brand. It took huge leaps of faith and uncomfortable risks and if I had to I’d do it all over again, I would. It is significant to me, it lead me to where I am today,

Jawanza , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’ve always been surrounded by skillful cooks and delicious food. Somehow I’ve been able to develop my passionate expressions from my home kitchen into something that I am proud to present to others. I went from fooling around in my mom’s kitchen, to operating an Ital food business, to now to being a private chef with a focus on creating bespoke food experiences for special clients and managing the food and beverage aspects for their homes and residences. They say hindsight is 20/20 and looking back, I can see how I’ve (unknowingly) been training and working towards where I am now. Life for certain has been a big guide and a cradle for my falls along the way.
When we started, Ital Kitchen had been doing quite well. We were active each week, quickly gaining regulars and frequently engaging with new customers. It was challenging but it was also one of the best times of my life. We thrived through covid, the ash fall in 2021 and global inflation that affected business and people all over the world. We were doing well, then I got into a pretty bad accident which changed everything. Soon after I found myself in another country again doing things to “find my way”. Eventually, the way sort of found me. It came through a friend and a question… “Hey, do you want a job?” and from a dinner party to breakfast, to meal after meal, my food journey continued leading to the present day. What I like about my approach to my job is the challenge, and my ability to cater to the different food needs of each of my clients. Food is romance, it’s emotion, it’s feeling. It’s such a personal experience and it’s ever changing. My intention with each client is to give them an experience that serves them in the best way possible. My ability to connect with my clients, to understand where they’ve come from, where they are and how they want to feel is one of my favourite things about how I do what I do.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Connecting with people and building relationships is easily the most rewarding aspect of being a creative. Sharing myself with others through my craft brings so much joy. It is one of the reasons why work feels like less of a task or burden and more of simply great experiences, moving through passion and fulfilling purpose with many moments of joy.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Two of my all time favourite reads are The Alchemist and The Richest Man in Babylon. The Alchemist transformed my outlook on life and sharpened my perspective to intuition. It encouraged self trust and ultimately it hyped me up about proudly walking my own path. The Richest Man in Babylon reinforced themes of responsibility, patience and discipline. Both books serve as reminders that we are the most important resource in our individual lives and that life aligns for our greatest good when we are in a space of clarity and our focus starts within. They tell stories that show the results of effort compounded over time, in both the physical and spiritual realms.

There’s no special philosophy that I follow as I move through my life, the main thing I’m doing is following and trusting my intuition, just like the Alchemist and being disciplined in my approach like in the Richest Man in Babylon. On both accounts, I’m also just having fun, which is probably the most important part.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @jawanza.small
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jawanza-small-861a95124/