When did your posting in Kingston begin?

In October 2017.

Tell us about growing up in Connecticut.

I grew up in a small town called Bloomfield. I am the youngest of four boys. I lived in the same town as my grandparents and would often ride my bike over to their house to hang out on the weekends.

And you have Jamaican heritage?

Yes I do, from my father’s side.

Where did you go to college?

I went to undergraduate at Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA. It is a small, all-male private historically black university that has as alumni Martin Luther King, Jr, Spike Lee, Samuel L Jackson, Howard Thurman, and many more. I went on to study for a short time at the University of Westminster in London, UK, and then received my master’s from the University of Maryland.

When did you start working for the US State Department?

In 2003.

Your postings have taken you all over the world, including South Sudan. How did you keep grounded when you were so far from home?

I am a very family-oriented person. I talk to my family at least 2-3 times a week. I also make a point of going back home a couple of times a year to reconnect.

You absolutely love cooking and this has made you quite popular on Instagram. Why is it important for you to spend time in the kitchen?

My mom and grandmother were the ones who started me off at a very young age in the kitchen. I come from a family of cooks. My grandparents owned two restaurants, one of my aunts in Atlanta owned a Jamaican one, and my uncle in England was a master chef. So it just kind of runs in the family.

We reckon that you’ve collected numerous recipes from all the places you’ve lived. What are your plans for them?

Glad you asked! I write for a food magazine called Manjar that is published in the Dominican Republic. I decided a year or so ago to make my column into a full fledged cookbook. Currently, the cookbook is in the editing stage. So look out for it!

Who has been the greatest influence in your life and why?

My grandmother by far is the greatest influence in my life. She recently passed in May of this year. In June she would have celebrated her 103rd birthday. She was my first pastor, second mom, grandmother, and very best friend. I miss her loads! She was super-energetic up until the day she passed. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about her.

Price being no object, what would you serve at your dream dinner party?

I don’t think you have to include pricey items to have a meal you enjoy. It is all about putting soul into what you cook. So for me, it would just be some items that would provide me with culinary travel to some of my favourite places in the world.

Who’d be on the guest list?

That would be a secret!

What’s your go-to self-care routine?

I work out at the gym five to six times a week, I drink over a gallon of water a day, I also have at least 32 ounces of green tea daily.

What packing tips have you learnt as someone who moves a lot?

I hate packing! Since I move so much I am constantly getting rid of things I do not use. This is helpful when it is time to pack.

What would you miss the most were you to leave your diplomatic career?

The diplomatic passport! LOL! No waiting in long lines at the airport.