ORANGE BAY, Hanover — Many people know Conroy Robinson as the porridge man or soup man who prepares hot meals in Orange Bay, Hanover, that they can grab as they head to work or school in the mornings.

But, how many knew that his first love is photography?

Robinson, who is also known as ‘Rasta’, has been selling hot meals for 20 years. He started in Green Island in the parish, selling only porridge, before moving to his current location at Orange Bay Square — just a few miles from the popular resort area of Negril — a decade ago.

He has also added soup to his menu.

The soup, otherwise known as sip, contains no meat, while the porridge is made with peanuts and plantains. No dairy product, such as milk from animals, is used in the porridge.

Speaking to the Jamaica Observer for Familiar Faces recently, Robinson broke down what a typical day is like for him.

“My day starts from the night before, because I have to prepare everything overnight. [I] wake up like 2:30/3 o’clock in the morning, and start cooking. I reach work here [Orange Bay Square] at 6 o’clock, and I’m here until 12:30 pm, and sometimes 2 o’clock — it depends on how fast the [food] goes,” stated Robinson.

He admitted, however, that maintaining his daily routine has not been easy.

“It’s really hectic. Sometimes when I wake up in the morning and [I’m] to get started, I feel like I would just go back in the bed because it’s almost [an] everyday thing, and it takes a lot of energy and a lot of time. So, sometimes I feel like I don’t even want to go to work, but knowing that people are depending on me, I have to move,” Robinson said.

The soup and porridge vendor said his customers include teachers, students, hotel workers, people who operate on the beach in resort areas, and bus and taxi operators, plus he is always seeing new faces.

While other vendors in Orange Bay also sell soup, Robinson said he is the only one who sells porridge as well.

Born in St Elizabeth, Robinson grew up in Westmoreland, which is where he went to school, before moving to Hanover in 2009. He had some advice for those looking to venture into a similar business.

“It is worth trying, but remember, it is a lot of work. It may look easy now, but it comes with a lot of dedication. Be prepared to work from the night before,” Robinson said.

But though he has been cooking for more than a decade, his first love and job was as a photographer.

“It was not so fast, so I diverted to cooking,” Robinson told the Sunday Observer.

“When I came from photography to food, it was kind of not so easy for me, because I really wanted photography. I eventually started cooking, and it is working,” he shared.

While he has no regrets about his decision, he still dreams of going back to his first love.

“My mind is still on photography. Everyday I say to myself, ‘Whenever it is possible, I am going back.’ [Cooking] is all good, but it requires more time and dedication. I lose more night rest. Doing photography, not because I like it, it also allows me to get more rest.

“So, at some point, I know that I am going back to photography,” said Robinson, who noted that, at present, cooking does allow some spare time to do some photography.

“There are times when I would not be able to come out here to do this [sell food] if I am going to do photography. So, it would either be this or photography,” explained Robinson, adding, “This is okay, it is not a lot but it keeps me going and it is better than sitting down not doing anything.”

Watch his video chat with Sunday Observer reporter Anthony Lewis at www.jamaicaobserver.com.