The first meal chef Andre Nurse prepared was a “one, two, three.”
But there was absolutely nothing simple about that dish, especially since he was just 16 years old. He recalls the potatoes and lamb were bursting with flavour – a meal that left everyone wowed.
“I marinated everything together and put it in a dish at the right temperature and that was it, simple but very delicious. I did that meal when I was home alone with my mother. Then I did it again when I went overseas for my family members and they were all blown away. They were wowed by seeing a young person in the kitchen cooking so well. Seeing their reaction made me realise this was something that I could do for a living,” he said.
It was at that point that Andre made up in his mind he would pursue a career in culinary arts. But the passion for cooking started many years before even before he decided he wanted to become a chef full-time.
“I started at a very early age but got more serious about it around 16 or so or even younger. I was raised by my mum and she was a single parent. She is a chef. Having the opportunity to see her in the kitchen at home or at work, I took the opportunity to choose that profession because I love my tummy,” he said with a laugh. (DB)
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