Beyond Rice and Peas: Reinventing Caribbean Food with Tessa Frenche

We sat down with Tessa Frenche; a foodie, with a passion for adventure, to chat about cuisine and her upcoming event – “Liming”.

“Liming” – Origin: Trinidadian. Meaning: (v) hanging out/socializing in an informal relaxing environment, especially with friends, for example at a party or on the beach.

Born in London to an English mother and Trinidadian father, Tessa’s passion for food and travel has inspired her to curate this upcoming special evening to share some of her favorite culinary treats as well as some of the stories behind them.

This young cook and her team will be popping up in a secret dining space this December to showcase some of the great flavors the Caribbean has to offer.

As well as some of her adventures, Tessa shared some of her insights with us about the birthplace of her father:

“As a two island republic, Trinidad and Tobago is full of unique food, music and history. For such a tiny, often overlooked country, it’s a powerhouse of a nation. It’s the birthplace of the steel pan, the limbo, calypso and soca music and above all – home to The Greatest Show on Earth – the annual carnival. Taking place every year on the Monday and Tuesday after Lent, carnival is an explosion of colorful costumes, sound systems and pure bacchanal. Revelers hit the streets of the capital – Port of Spain to form bands of masqueraders to party for 2 days straight.

As well as its rich musical traditions, T&T has the biggest celebration of Diwali in the Western Hemisphere and prior to the speedy Usain Bolt, Hasely Crawford from Trinidad was the first ever Caribbean winner of the 100m Olympic gold medal.

As well as many sporting achievements and cultural gems, the twin island is enriched by its racially diverse inhabitants which in turn add to its incredible mix of fusion food, with West African, East Indian and European influences prevailing.”

Tessa stresses the importance of her family history in her blended-culture cooking. “During my trips to Trinidad, I’ve spent a lot of time cooking with my uncles and aunties.” she says. “My first investigation into my heritage was in the kitchen”.

“With this coming menu, I hope to present some of the highlights of Trinidadian cuisine – infused with a British twist – to represent my cultural background. Like Java, Trinidad and Tobago are tropical islands, so I work with a lot of local ingredients to produce colorfully captivating dishes. I use elements such as pisang tanduk, taro leaves, soursop and mangosteen, to recreate dishes I’ve tasted on holidays to the Caribbean and recipes I’ve watched Trinis prepare. Each course will showcase anything from humble street food fair, party snacks to traditional home cooked meals. I’ll highlight the best ingredients and cooking methods to take you on a culinary journey from Port of Spain to London,” she said, with excitement in her voice.

There is indeed more to Caribbean cuisine than rice and peas – but that void will be Tessa’s capability to fill.

^{Liming will be in Jakarta, December 12, 2020. It’s available through events prepaid booking, exclusively on SELESA}

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