Today we’d like to introduce you to Ladonia Spence.
Hi Ladonia, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Hello Everyone, My name is Ladonia Spence. I was born and raised in Spanish Town, Jamaica. My upbringing was very humbling and poor. Our neighborhood was violent. I remember my older brother and I had the responsibility of raising our chickens and other livestock to feed a family of eight. Every day growing up in Jamaica was about learning how to survive poverty. We learned how to swim, run, farm, fish, and maintain natural independence. Everything we ate was naturally grown and organic. As infants and as we got older, my brother and I were rarely sick, and when we did catch a little illness, there were always natural herbs that we used to make teas that maintained and protected our bodies from experiencing major health issues. This was especially important since healthcare was lacking, and doctor care was very expensive.
My best memories of Jamaica are being by my grandmother’s side helping her cook the family feast. Those were the golden days when the scratch kitchen was a scratch kitchen. You would have to be up by 4:30 am- 5:00 am to get dinner started, because everything was done homemade from scratch, with organic ingredients. But everything wasn’t always rosy in Jamaica. My toughest was when my mother became badly ill with diabetes, and was hospitalized for six months. Those months were very rough on my brother and me. At age 6, I was in the kitchen, doing everything I learned and saw from my grandmother. Instantly in that situation, I had to put to work the self-sufficiency and independence I had learned. I had to grow up and become a woman to survive and maintain my health.
I came to the United States on February, 23,2001. I was nine years old. Everything was so new to me. There were so many new tastes and so many different cultures. I was amazed by the different cultural differences that were in this country. In elementary school, I got my first experience of tasting different dishes from classmates with different cultural backgrounds. That’s when my interest in cooking cuisines other than my own caught on fire.
My life-changing moment came at Harper’s Choice Middle School in 7th Grade year. My best friend Bianca Bush did something that made me into the person I am today. Bianca Bush stood up and went to our teacher, to pitch her an idea of a Caribbean theme for the second half of our learning program (which was cooking). To me, that was an experience I will never forget. Bianca taught the kids how to make Panama’s traditional dishes like empanadas and fried plantains, and I was in charge of teaching the other kids how to make Jamaican cuisines like curry chicken, and rice & peas. When we sat down and ate our meals I was in disbelief at how well everyone did. Since then, I have experienced four years of Culinary Arts programming at Wilde Lake High School and two years of college-level Culinary Arts Programming at Lincoln Technical Culinary Arts Institute, here in Columbia, Maryland. I became a certified chef at the age of 20. I’ve spent an overall 10 years in a professional kitchen perfecting my culinary arts skills. I’ve been recognized and rewarded by many great chefs.
On February 14, 2021, I decided to take a leap of faith and started my own Certified Home-Approved Restaurant, “Jamaica Home Kitchen” in partnership with America’s #1 app Dishdivvy.
Based in Los Angeles, California and created by CEO and co-founder Ani Torosyan, the concept of Dishdivvy is waking up idle home kitchens and putting them to work, to cook, bake, broil, and fry their way into a legitimate home business. More importantly, the company helps partners streamline the business process, allowing the cooks to concentrate on their craft (and not administrative tasks) while connecting them with a hungry marketplace. -Ani, Torosyan.
Connecting to this company has been a dream come true– a prayer that has been answered! I am living my dream. I love the relationship I have with my dish divvy team, and how I inspire other cooks with creative ideas. Connecting with my customers is number one for me. I like getting their feedback and supporting their needs and wants in their meals. It is truly the greatest reward for me. Now, where I am is being the first pacific islander to start on the platform here in Columbia, Maryland. I am serving homemade authentic Jamaican Cuisine to my friends, family, and neighbors.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The Rising Cost of Food is the Most Challenging.
I know what it’s like to eat processed and unhealthy food products. I know food is medicine, and medicine is food when you consume little to no meat or meat produced more organically. Then your body doesn’t fall for potential diseases—high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, etc. Even for me personally, having diabetes is a family trait. I cook in as healthy a way as possible for myself, my family, and now my customers. I make sure I never keep frozen products. Every meal is shopped fresh to order and cooked fresh to order every day. But fresh and organic tends to be very costly.
My meat products are from Halal Market. We have a close connection with some of our local international markets. I stop at nothing to ensure my meat/seafood/products are fresh and organically grown without pesticides and harmful fertilizers. Since I am very big on health, shopping at the farmer’s market is also very pricey. Because we’re a small business just starting, sometimes our expenses are more than our earnings. It’s truly our biggest challenge. But, with great planning and organizing, we have overcome those hurdles.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about Jamaica Home Kitchen?
As CEO and Founder of Jamaica Home Kitchen, which was created in April of 2016, I can assure you that it represents a truly authentic Jamaican and International Scratch Kitchen, providing you with 100% Organic eats. This includes lunches, dinners, catering, and personal chef services. Our cuisine is specialized to benefit both your mental and physical health and wellness!
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
What I love the most about Baltimore is the heart of the people. They are filled with so much promise and talent. I think that sets Baltimore apart from the rest of other states. The citizens of Baltimore City go hard for what they believe in and stand up for its people. What I like least is watching the youth fall into gun violence and drugs. Seeing the abandoned houses, and the kids playing next to those drug-infested areas in their community, breaks my heart. If only I could do something. My future goal is to fix up those houses for senior living and bed-and-breakfasts. Then everyone can enjoy the community. Baltimore is full of opportunities. Resources are made available for anyone willing to step forward and make a difference. That’s the most inspiring part of Baltimore. That allows me to go just as hard as the other entrepreneurs in this area. I aim to make a difference–to feed a hungry world!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dishdivvy.com/cook/-Mwcsuiynv9UuP6NENoz
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamaicahomekitchen
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jamaica.Hkitchen
