During his childhood, Reyon Bernard spent a lot of time with his grandmother in the kitchen. He assisted her in preparing ingredients, including grating coconuts, and making various cakes and pastries, like Salara and Coconut Buns. “Every time I came home from school, I would just want to be in the kitchen with Granny,” Bernard recalled fondly. His mother often said, “You don’t find nothing else to do; you always deh up under your grandmother.” In response, he said, his grandmother would fret and tell his mom, to “leave her grandchild alone.”
Now a chef, Bernard cannot see himself doing anything else. He said he has always enjoyed cooking for his family members, co-workers and customers. “Food is something people love. Once you prepare food right, they will love it and they will keep coming back for more,” he shared. Bernard mentioned that satisfying people with his cooking is a feeling he enjoys immensely. As a chef who has cooked in many restaurants, he has interacted with different chefs from across the world. They often impart their knowledge to him and he eagerly absorbs this wisdom to improve his own cooking.
The road to becoming a good chef was not easy. Bernard explained that while enrolled at the Carnegie School of Home Economics (CSHE) he struggled with confidence in the formal school setting, unlike when he was in the kitchen with his grandmother. During his work-study at Princess Hotel, he was petrified that his food wouldn’t taste good and felt insecure with so many people around him in the kitchen. He was tasked with cooking rice in a huge pot and despite his fear, he took a deep breath and practised self-talk, assuring himself that the rice would be tasty. He flavoured the rice and it turned out delicious. On that day, he said, he made an important realisation: “You just got to get a little confidence in yourself. You just got to tell yourself
you’re going to put your mind to it, and it’s going to happen”. From that moment, he began to develop confidence in his abilities.
Bernard’s mother and grandmother, who were instrumental in his life, are extremely proud that he became a chef. He said that even today, while living on his own, the support is still there, and his grandmother still sends equipment for his home-catering business. He explained that doing catering has helped him take pride in himself, especially since he was unable to complete school due to the financial constraints faced by his single mother, who he said was trying to secure finances for him to finish. But he said he advised her that he didn’t want her to struggle and decided to drop out. Subsequently, he had a conversation with someone, who advised him to enrol in CSHE. He graduated from the CSHE and despite not graduating from high school, Bernard’s skills have enabled him to work in multiple environments.
Becoming a chef has also given Bernard indelible memories. He recalled working at a restaurant in the Amazonian Mall, where he often prepared brunch, creating memorable experiences for both staff and customers. He would sing with his co-workers while cooking, then serve the guests, followed by karaoke sessions where both staff and customers participated in singing. Being a chef has mostly been joyous for Bernard. Despite the sacrifices of waking up early to prepare meals for customers, he explained that this job gives his life purpose and it is a skill that gives him financial security. Bernard added that this was his calling and he sees himself as a chef for the rest of his life.
