Nothing could be sweeter than one of Jamaica’s sweethearts making delicious sweet treats for a living. Amanda McCreath has pulled out all the stops in providing quality desserts with an authentic Jamaican twist.
The architect-turned-chef decided to ditch designing buildings to construct her personal dreams of culinary greatness.
McCreath grew up watching her mother cook and bake, and quickly gravitated towards it. “Mommy used to always bake for the season, Christmas cake at Christmas time, buns during Easter, and I just loved it.”
During college, she indulged her love for baking by making tarts – that was in 2010. There was hope of soaring to new heights, but with the balancing act between baking and books proving to be difficult, she fell off the food wagon to finish off architecture.
Following through with her scholastic pursuits, the 25-year-old admitted that she grew weary of the field of architecture and began seeking other options. “I always loved cooking. I loved architecture, which was the reason why I decided to study, and aimed to pursue it as a career, but over time, I lost love for it.”
She rekindled her passion for food when she began working with her parents. “Working for my parents, I had more free time to do as I please. I was so depressed with wondering where my life was going, and I decided to bake to cheer myself up.”
7 Things You May Not Know About Amanda
What’s your favourite local ingredient?
I love fresh spices. Garlic has to be my favourite ingredient of all time. For local I would have to say nutmeg. It has hints of Cinnamon with a bit of a softer and sweeter tone to the scent. It really reminds me of Christmas – Fav time of the year!
What or who has influenced your style?
Fresh ingredients, I try to take the extra time to keep my recipes natural rather than concentrated. I find it goes an extra mile to really make the dishes pop
What’s your favourite international flavour/cuisine?
French cuisine hands down!
What award/achievement would you like to accomplish?
Other than the obvious owning a restaurant, but most importantly making a connection with the guest through food.
If you had to do it all over again…what would you do differently?
I don’t think I would have done anything differently, Maybe I would have started with culinary school, but my passion really grew during school. Architecture was a way of thinking and creating experiences. I integrate many of the skills I learned on a daily basis while in the kitchen.
What’s your worst kitchen disaster?
Other than the mess in the kitchen when I’m done lol! creme brule defeated me for while. I cannot tell you how many times I curdled, burned, and even broke jars with my blow torch caramelising the sugar on top.
Other than cooking, what are some of your passions?
Family!
Highlighted Dishes
