Drive and Dedication:
Taymer Mason’s revolutionary brand
building in Caribbean Vegan Cuisine.
When we first connected with Taymer 8 years ago, the author of the internationally acclaimed Caribbean Vegan was based in St. Martin. Before that she lived & worked in France & even Canada. All the while her food innovation, particularly meat & dairy alternatives, dazzled.
As contributor to the CCN’s newsletter, Taymer had graciously shared with readers how to make vegan favourites like coconut-pineapple ice cream and breadfruit ravioli. When life offered more opportunities to build her brand, the savvy food scientist found herself back in her native Barbados as founder of Tay’s Kitchen. Taymer and her then-new husband Ramon focused on expansion of ideas, selections, and plant-based ingredients to the benefit of vegans everywhere. We’re talking vegan pizza, vegan meat patties, and an ice cream line of 25+ flavours. No doubt, Taymer’s mission to revolutionize sustainable food innovation from the Caribbean captured global attention. Then Forbes came calling. Twice. Taymer was featured as one of five female chefs in the Caribbean changing the way we look at food. By 2020, she and Ramon relocated to the UK to capitalize on the wider audience.
The couple announced they’ll be focusing on their brand Island Love Gourmet. Foodies can keep up with their thoughtful food posts and concoctions like vegan pepperoni and smoky bacon made from cassava and coconut on Instagram and Facebook. We’re huge fans!
From our CCN archives, here is Taymer in her own words describing the origins of her food passion.
Taymer Mason:It was a summer when my parents did not have the funds to pack me off to Canada on my summer vacation, and I sat in the house wondering what I would do for those two long months. I remember it like yesterday: we had a kitchen garden; I was an exercise fanatic and I wanted to do something different that year. I found myself watching lots of television in the morning and there was a cooking show with this French chef named Gabriel. I became obsessed with the art of cooking. I embarked on my first dish, a chicken stew, but it ended up tasting like a soup so each day I tried different dishes and I got better. My blatantly honest parents let me know when I failed and when it worked. I then got into Food and Nutrition at secondary school and did well at it because one of my favourite past times were reading cookbooks, novels and creating new things on my own. At the end of secondary school, I got a distinction in Food and Nutrition and the respect of my teacher and peers in the kitchen.
You can buy Taymer Mason’s cookbookCaribbean Vegan: Meat-Free, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free Authentic Island Cuisine for Every Occasion-on Amazon. Available in paperback and Kindle edition.
Q&A With Taymer Mason:
Q1: DESCRIBE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A VEGAN IN BARBADOS.
Taymer Mason: I actually have been living in the French West Indies [St.Martin] for the past eight years. But I will tell you what it means in both countries. In Barbados, being vegan you are greeted with an open mindset and the usual bit of naysayers. The Bajans I have interacted with see veganism as a step towards a healthy lifestyle, while others think it is a bit too restrictive to compete with weekly cultural fare like pudding and souse. In general, there is usually a vegan option on the menu at restaurants.
In the French West Indies, veganism is not well known at all and it is met with a lot of questions. The average person there thinks that vegetarians eat fish and vegans do not eat fish. Since there is a lot of influence of French food culture, veganism is uncharted territory while in Barbados there is a British influence; that is why the concept is not novel. Did I tell you I have a recipe for vegan pudding and souse in my book?
Q2: NO. THAT’S IMPRESSIVE. HOW DID YOU FIRST COME TO ENJOY PREPARING FOOD
Taymer Mason:It was a summer when my parents did not have the funds to pack me off to Canada on my summer vacation, and I sat in the house wondering what I would do for those two long months. I remember it like yesterday: we had a kitchen garden; I was an exercise fanatic and I wanted to do something different that year. I found myself watching lots of television in the morning and there was a cooking show with this French chef named Gabriel. I became obsessed with the art of cooking. I embarked on my first dish, a chicken stew, but it ended up tasting like a soup so each day I tried different dishes and I got better. My blatantly-honest parents let me know when I failed and when it worked. I then got into Food and Nutrition at secondary school and did well at it because one of my favourite past times were reading cookbooks, novels and creating new things on my own. At the end of secondary school, I got a distinction in Food and Nutrition and the respect of my teacher and peers in the kitchen.
Q3: TELL US ABOUT THE TYPE OF ACCESS THAT EXISTS TO LOCAL FOOD IN BARBADOS. AS YOU PREPARE FOR WEEKEND COOKING, WHERE WOULD YOU GO FOR FOOD
Taymer Mason: In Barbados there are farmers markets like most places in the region. The one I am most familiar with is the Cheapside Market and it is situated in the city (Bridgetown). It is best to go early on Saturday mornings. As my parents were never market goers I never got into the spirit until I was leaving Barbados and had an interest in Bajan food culture. There are other famers markets on the island that are located on old plantations. These markets sell things like freshly brewed coffee, preserved items and artisan bread. They also sell fresh seasonal produce. These types of markets are more expensive but they make a wonderful morning lime. The other market in the city is more vibrant and intimate and you can bargain easier.
I live in St. Martin now and there is a market five minutes from my house however, it has no crops grown on the island; everything is imported from Dominica and the prices are sky-high. The produce is shipped by boat and as such, you do not get a lot of seasonal fruits like guava, cashews etc., due to their perishability. I have now resorted to shopping at the supermarket and they have a wide range of ground provisions at a lower cost. I also buy organic produce from a small agricultural base run by the Rastafarians, but I cannot get what I want because of fairly high demands and small yields. Therefore, I usually go to the Dutch side of the island- St. Maarten between Friday and Saturday as the supermarkets get fresh produce on Thursday afternoon.
You can buy Taymer Mason’s cookbook Caribbean Vegan: Meat-Free, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free Authentic Island Cuisine for Every Occasion on Amazon. Visit her blog @ carribbeanvegan.wordpress.com. Also get her updates on Facebook.
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Great content! Keep up the good work!