Jamaican chef, MD
When anaesthetist Dr Ayanna Ennis is not busy in the operating theatre seeing to the needs of her patients, you can catch her in the kitchen cooking up a storm.
The 36-year-old Kingstonian started out small by catering to family and friends and has since then mushroomed to include companies and small parties.
From her Jamaican Christmas cake cheesecake to her smooth spiced pumpkin cheesecake, Dr Ennis has definitely managed to find a niche when it comes to her offerings.
Growing up, she could never pinpoint what it was that she actually wanted to be.
“First I wanted to be a I lawyer then I changed my mind to veterinarian and then changed again to physician. I actually never really thought about becoming a chef,” she laughed.
Her passion for the culinary arts is understandable, though, especially since her entire family loves to cook.
“I grew up in a very health-oriented family; my mom used to make our baby food from scratch, my dad used to bake bread and grandma was always showing me how to cook something. So definitely if I look back in my life, cooking was always there. And so it was only natural that I continued to pursue it along with whatever else I was doing at the time.”
The St Andrew High School graduate did a first degree in biochemistry at the University of the West Indies before going on to study medicine in Cuba.
“My experience in Cuba I would say exposed me to a different world from the one I was used to. It gave me an appreciation for the differences in people around me. Because of that experience I have many friends worldwide who I will never forget, and great food experiences too!”
Dr Ennis recalls spending her weekends in open markets looking for fresh produce to make the various dishes.
“The friends I met in Cuba taught me how to prepare their various cuisines. I remember having so much fun learning how to prepare the different dishes from other countries. Ah yes, and then there was the sampling. No mouth or taste buds was turned away.”
Self-taught, Dr Ennis finds time to keep up with international trends by watching the Food Network.
“For me it’s all about fun. I love to make curry goat; I might add that I make my own curry mix. I also like to make steamed fish and of course I do it with a twist and so I add cashews to it.”
Since her return to the island, she has pursued her passion full throttle, even with the demands of a medical career.
“I want to be able to balance everything as much as possible. Not only do I want to have a successful anaesthetic practice, but I want to have a successful catering business. In my mind there is no reason both cannot be done,” she said.
