WHILE some career paths require that you work behind a desk, others can take you outdoors in the beauty of nature. Oshea’s Kitchen, a neat beachside dining experience in Norwich, Portland, has been attracting quite the interest among food lovers across the island. The unique picnic style set up on the beach offers visitors an array of delectable Jamaican dishes, an unmatched vibe and the most amazing view.

The man behind the business is Chef Oshane “Oshea” Williams, and he’s on a mission to take his small business to the next level by offering diners a distinct yet down-to-earth food experience. Though his venture is currently small compared to others, his general mindset is that whatever he desires in life he must be willing to work for it.

Sharing his story, Williams recalled watching his parents work hard to make a living and how he and his brothers helped out where they could. He learned early that there is always an avenue through which one can put their talents or skills to good use.

“I grew up with my mother going to Kingston on the market truck. My mother would go to sell and come back home on the weekends. That’s where my inspiration comes from. In Jamaica, a lot of the young youths say ‘nothing nuh deh yah’, but if you sit down and say that, then nothing will happen for you,” asserted Williams.

For this country boy from Norwich, it was his cooking skills that put him on the Jamaican map. With parents and siblings who are all great cooks, Williams has been active in the kitchen since he was a child. However, his true passion for cooking developed in high school when he switched his focus from woodwork to food and nutrition. After graduation, he pursued certification in food preparation at the Buff Bay Vocational Training Centre (VTC) at the HEART Trust/National Training Agency.

Out of training school, Williams employed his skills at a small cookshop he set up, selling soup and jerk chicken on the weekends. But business was always slow. “I wasn’t making any money no matter what I did. I cooked and food was selling but I wasn’t seeing the profits, just losses,” he recounted.

His turning point came on Christmas Day in 2021 when a friend’s mother invited him to cook up a storm, as he usually does, and his friend shared a video of it, which went viral. This was all the encouragement he needed to begin marketing his cooking skills on a greater level. Always in an outdoor setting, he began to showcase meat and seafood prepared in several ways, delectable soups, and sides such as breadfruit, bammy, festival and more.

In February 2022, he took things up a notch by hosting a family of six at the beachfront in Portland near where he lives. The small, tucked-away beach area offers a remarkable view of the sea, shaded trees, and enough space for relaxation or fun.

“Mi had one blanket and mi end up buying six cushions. I cooked for them and I posted it and everybody liked it,” he said.

Thus began Williams’ newest business venture of preparing Jamaican cuisine picnic-style on the beach. Since then, he has hosted the likes of Jamaican athlete Asafa Powell and his friends, a team from Red Stripe, and multiple groups of families and friends. He has also improved the décor at the location, added shade in the picnic location, relying on the support of his older brothers, Harrington Williams and Dehoy Gordon, when catering for large groups.

The full Oshea’s Kitchen team came out last month to host visitors from Red Stripe comprising adventure seekers and food lovers, media professionals and associates of the brand.

“It was a great feeling to know that you’re growing up as a young man and trying to make things happen and then things get so big that Red Stripe’s guests can come and enjoy themselves, it was just a great feeling to have them,” shared Williams.

The young chef’s vision is for his business to expand to other Caribbean islands and beyond. To get there, he’s hoping for greater opportunities to spread the word and get more people to visit his location and share their experiences with the world.