Really, who’d have guessed? Who could have predicted a decade ago that the culinary landscape would now be attracting so many eager youngsters hell-bent on facing the unrelenting heat of the range, and with the full support of parents to boot?

It seems like just the other day that Suzanne and Michelle Rousseau revolutionised the local culinary landscape with their stylish approach to food at the über trendy Ciao Bella. Those skills have been parlayed into an au courant deli and catering establishment.

Celeste Ritch Gordon was part of this trendy wave too, and more recently, Nicole Shirley of Nicole’s Sweet Temptations, as well as the charming David Machado of Mac’s Chop House. They have all, it would appear, been caught up in the flotilla – with an approach that’s far from whimsical.

Whispers about a 16-year-old burgeoning star chef called Matthew Green grew loud enough for us to seek him out with such glee that we even got lost.

We meet Matthew busy in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches to lunch. A quick glance at the setting and the carefully positioned menu cards make a great first impression, as does the Tropigria welcome drink (a successful take on the Spanish sangria), and lest we forget, young Matthew is in full chef’s whites. We would soon come to the realisation that first impressions are lasting.

The Campion College fifth former, who has just completed exams and anticipates gaining a place in sixth form, has many other hobbies, such as music and IT, and is a director (and the only student member) of the Public Broadcasting Corporation of Jamaica.

His culinary lineage goes all the way back to Shish Kebab restaurant on Beckford Street, where his late grandparents, Joyce and George Azan, excited the palates of many with their Lebanese fare.

Sunday family gatherings allowed Matthew to absorb the intricacies of different meals and to watch in fascination as his two uncles, Mark and Christopher Azan (both under-the-radar foodies), influenced by their own fascinating culinary journey, would whip up meals so memorable that Matthew became more than an eager apprentice – prepping, tasting, stirring

and serving.

Nine years later, with Sunday Cuisine

à table, Uncle Mark on the phone (he made at least half a dozen calls to ensure that his nephew had everything under control), Uncle Chris watching from the wings and lending loads of moral support, and finally Mom Suzanne and Dad Christopher, Matthew more than makes the family proud.

The menu suggests simplicity (a smart move), speaking perhaps to Uncle Mark’s passion for the sea. Mark actually went out to sea on Wednesday, just to ensure that his nephew had fresh catch of the day.

And so lunch commenced with West Indian crab cakes, described by Matthew as a lightly curried crabmeat enhanced by local herbs and spices, expressing a true West Indian flair. It’s a risk, we surmise, as fork and knife move speedily through the ample-size crab cakes.

Thankfully, it’s one that pays off, for instead of a mouthful of breadcrumbs and a hint of crabmeat, we encounter fresh crabmeat treated cautiously, perhaps even sensitively, with just enough breadcrumbs to hold it together, curry that adds enough oomph, plus herbs, spices and Scotch Bonnet pepper. An impressive start.

The soup course follows: Surprise Pumpkin Bisque. But what magic could young Matthew pull out of his culinary bag to add a surprise? He delivers a deliciously rich, full-bodied pumpkin bisque. The maturity of the soup speaks to a recipe that could have truly begun in his grandmother’s own pantry many years ago; the tasty plump shrimp ‘surprise’ at the base of the soup plate suggests Matthew’s modern take on

the traditional.

But with the entrée plated, it’s now time to test the grilled fillet of red-tail snapper. A confident Matthew explains that the fish is 95% perfect, ostensibly because it had to be refrigerated (albeit briefly). He proves once again that he knows it’s not just food preparation that’s important, but an acute understanding of taste, texture and the value of a fresh catch.

The grilled fillet of red-tail snapper with the fried plantain positioned as the fish’s tail is so fresh and the meat so white and fluffy that we are almost tempted to suggest a couple more forkfuls. As if to prove it, we use our fork to lift the last bits of salsa.

Conversation takes us around Jamaica, with a stop in Barbados, but very soon we are back to the table, all set to close the meal with a crepe Island Stylee. The crepes are made to order and emerge light but with sufficient texture filled with bananas, papaya, East Indian mango, Sugar Loaf Pineapple, pegged orange and yoghurt and crowned with fresh cream.

We decline coffee. It seems futile to even contemplate adding anything else to this extraordinary dining experience.

We’d like to suggest, however, that together as a country we take the culinary journey with young Matthew. There is no doubt in our minds that it’s going to be a gastronomical delight, punctuated with tastes that speak to his multi-cultural background.

By the way, we’ve already booked him for next year’s ninth staging of

The Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards. Until then, his studies permitting, we promise to provide periodic peeks into his kitchen.