Help Germonte attend culinary fellowship
Donation protected
Pilgrimage Foundation, Inc.
The Global Citizenship & Human Service Delegation
~ Global Exchange Series ~
Germonte` Johnson
October 7, 2019
The International Culinary, Hospitality, Illustration & Agro-Cultural Sustainability Fellowship
Belize
As an African American young adult growing up in what I always felt to be a little big town, I often wondered what other people go through in life that also look like me but live in different time zones. When I was presented with the opportunity to visit Belize on a 14-day culinary fellowship I jumped at it. Then I took a step back to think about what world I would be entering and the journey that would follow. We as Americans often get comfortable in our surroundings and we shut out other cultures, so it was exciting for me being my first time out of the country and being fully immersed into Caribbean culture. Seeing faces that looked oddly familiar and being welcomed by people who know nothing about you felt more like a “welcome home hug” as opposed to just walking off the plane being greeted by warm weather and palm trees. Experiencing the country and seeing first hand how they make the life given to them work out makes you think that even myself as a black man in America down here I have more privileges than I realized. The things I’ve become accustomed to in life aren’t the necessities but an American privilege that I quickly learned should be turned back into service to those that are without. I started thinking of ways that a small family living in a rural area with little means of transit could sustain themselves without being solely dependent on a major food supply chain. Over the course of 2 years I spent time with friends back home studying herbs and vegetables, what makes them grow, proper climates and expected yields from the plants. With the knowledge that was acquired it should be given back in service to those who may not know about cultivation or soil testing to ensure maximum production of the garden space. I feel it should be a human right to be able to sustain yourself and your family with organic produce.
Urban Garden Development
Like most cities around the world poverty, low income neighborhoods, food deserts and job security are ever present in Belize City. Developing an Urban Gardens that benefits the immediate community around it provides them with fresh organic produce, inciteful ways of preparing the produce for maximum nutritional value, jobs and/or community service initiatives, and a safe place for the community. Once given full permission by the city council, something that I really want to work on is creating ways to fund the Urban Garden so that it doesn’t become a hassle for the city and doesn’t deplete their finances. A costly component to garden spaces is upkeep, which could be volunteer based whether through local citizens taking pride in their community or community outreach programs looking to service projects in the city.
2018 Culinary Team
While being on this culinary fellowship I got to work with three other individuals that also had very similar interests in food preparation, cultural cuisine, food justice and lifestyles. In our first week of the fellowship we learned of higher levels of hospitality which we found makes a huge difference in rating the experience you have dining out, we worked on menu building, and figured out ways to incorporate American food with Caribbean flavors to educate them about cultural differences, food fusions, and so that the taste buds can adjust to a new world of flavor. After going through that process we worked on how we could create a 5 star experience for a group of youth from CBMA (Campaign for Black Male Achievement) being out of the country for the first time. Collectively brainstorming on menu options was an enjoyable experience for me because I had not been given the opportunity back home to test my skill level in menu selection, so being successful with this team was very memorable. When the kids first arrived we could tell there was some disappointment in the food because it wasn’t what they were used to but by the time their 11 day trip was over we had them wanting more of the Belizean staple meal (stewed chicken, coconut rice and beans and potato salad), and also my personal favorite a puffed pastry known as Fry Jacks. Moving throughout the country, going from urban to suburban to beach front I noticed a lot of untapped land. Some in which are utilized as jungle sanctuaries for the wildlife of Belize. Seeing how thick the foliage was in most areas was a clear sign of how nutrient filled the land is. The rural areas I mentioned earlier would benefit greatly by tapping into a portion of some areas and developing farm land to supply those villages.
2018-2019 Food & Beverage Teams
During our trip I came across some amazing people in the food and beverage industry of Belize. The stay at Black Orchid Resort was like a home away from home from the welcoming atmosphere to the execution of the menu we had built for CBMA. Chef Briceno, the head of the culinary team, displayed so much joy for the culinary arts and his willingness to work around the clock to ensure that the menu we set in place was executed properly. The team at Black Orchid Resort made our 5-star experience come to life from the day 1 welcome drinks to the closing ceremony dinner. Chef Briceno allowed us to come into his kitchen with open arms and gave us a glimpse of the talents that made our Belizean experience that much more memorable. Traveling south to Hopkins Bay Resort we came across a great hospitality manager in Mr. Mariano, who was effortless in giving us that 5-star experience. He showed me how to cater to the customer’s needs, while also being pulled in other directions by the other guests staying on the resort. I do hope he knows how much of an example of what outstanding hospitality looks like that we learned about earlier in that week. Watching how he navigates and his troubleshooting skills in the moment and even his willingness to create an experience that guests may expect but is exceeded was a treat to be a part of and work alongside. Working with the culinary team at the Radisson at Fort George in Belize City was a bit different since it was more on the corporate end. Not being members of the staff, we didn’t get the privilege to go into their kitchen space, but the food and beverage manager at the Radisson was still more than willing to work with us on the kid’s dinner menus. We were allowed to take over the dining space which gave us more freedom to teach the CBMA delegates of certain etiquettes of fine dining like the proper utensil to use for which course of the meal, being served on the right-hand side, and also place your dining cloth on your lap while eating. It was nice to see inner city youth become acclimated to a fine dining experience as opposed to the grab and go they might be used to in the states.
Culinary Immersions
While here in Belize I was introduced to the Saqui family. These beautiful Mayan people have so much history that I had the pleasure of learning about the culture of chocolate making from the village chief Mr. Saqui. We were also led on a tour of the cocoa farm by Mr. Saqui’s brother who showed us the stages of the cocoa tree and how they start as buds on the trunk of the tree. From that he showed us what a ready cocoa pod looked like and split it open and let us taste the fruit around the cocoa seed. He explained to us why we were having to duck down under the cocoa trees which is because the cooler temperature of the shade is needed for the pods to grow. It was eye opening seeing what cocoa looked like in its natural form. As Mr. Saqui (brother) was giving us more facts about the cocoa plant, he cracked one of the pods open for us to see the inside and taste the fruit that surrounds the actual source of the chocolate which is the cocoa seed. After taking the tour of the farm we headed back to the Chocolate Center where we were given a demonstration on how they first dry the seeds out, roast them and then grind them down to liquid form. We learned that in that process of grinding he was using a traditional Mayan stone which had been in his family for generations. We also learned that that same grinding process is how Cocoa oil is made, what we know as Cocoa-butter in its more solid state. After grinding the cocoa in order to sweeten it they use pure cane sugar that they break down and process themselves then put into big mixers to keep it from solidifying until they have enough cocoa to start making the chocolate bars. The pride that was clearly seen by the Saqui family in what they do and the legacy that has been passed down by his mother and mother’s mother was something I hope continues to be shared. They are a very rich people in their history and culture, and it was such a “treat” to learn from them. Something I felt also forever bridged me to the Saqui’s was the vision that Ambassador Shabazz had to renovate their work space. She wanted the inside of his establishment to look like what you smell when you first walk through his door, pure chocolate. The Culinary team I was on fellowship with came together to paint and add color to his workshop space but keeping the essence of Mr. Saqui and his chocolate. During this service project you could feel the pride that came over him and his employees who also ran with the idea of giving the place they work a new appeal. No matter how hot we may have been, the work was so rewarding when we watched Mr. Saqui pull the tape from the walls we used to make the design come to life. Mr. Saqui is still a wonder of the world for his innovative ways of infusing flavors into his chocolate bars and it brings me joy every time I see him and his family and also what new cocoa products he’s come up with.
Madam Maris Sharp
Marie Sharp is someone I would say is a Belize national treasure. I was first introduced to this lovely lady on a bottle of hot sauce that quickly noticed in every restaurant we had been to in Belize. She was solely responsible for giving the world a flavor packed carrot based hot sauce that can be found around the world. After reading her history on the bottle I felt inspired to say the least and motivated to put that same kind of energy into my craft. With the help of her family she was able to manifest her dreams and open a Marie Sharp distribution company. Being able to meet Madam Marie in person and take a tour of her farm and facility was an eye opener for me because it showed me what was needed in order to supply your own business and make it profitable. On the tour I learned that there was a very essential need to distribute worldwide which is the ozone machine. The ozone machine is vital in the packaging industry because it is a disinfectant treatment that helps with shelf life in stores. Her entire factory where she prepares her hot sauces looked as if it had just been put through an ozone machine. Her floors were clean enough to eat off, which made me start to think of the cleanliness and safety precautions she has set in place. I could only hope that in my lifetime I would figure out how to manifest an empire.
Wisdom Wellness and Worth Global
Experiences Influencing Culinary and
Hospitality Industries 2023-2024
November 21, 2016 I lost my mother due to complications of the heart and high blood pressure. Complications that were caused from years of an unhealthy diet. From that day it ignited a passion in me to improve the ways that the black community consumes food across the world. Processed and fried foods are one of the main sources for unhealthy lifestyles. Losing my mother inspired me to take the knowledge she taught me of basic kitchen techniques and how to make fresher healthier food options that appeal to your wellbeing but are also tasty. After some years of line cook work and doing small scale catering in different kitchens and restaurants I was blessed to be invited back by the Pilgrimage Foundation to be a part of the Young Solutionist initiative. The passion that I have for using fresh ingredients in food to prepare meals to me is the best way to share special moments with loved ones while also being healthily nourished. Something I want to take globally, figuring out ways in which these important cultural staple meals can be transformed to still hold true to their roots but also promote a sense of overall healthy eating. Being in the Culinary and Hospitality industry I’ve learned some of the vital ways that they sustain the business aspect while providing some of their more healthy options. The ways that they multipurpose foods would help a lot of the struggling small business restaurants we’ve worked with throughout Belize. For instance, take a tomato that is being slightly crushed to be the base for a pizza sauce. While crushing these tomatoes the juice and remnants of the tomato that come through the strainer are then used for the base of a vegetable soup. Something as simple as that saves from unwanted waste and also creates a more sustainable system within the restaurant. I’ve learned that any product that can be used in a multipurpose way can be grown in our own backyards. After going through the latest global cross-pandemic’s along with the rest of the world I really started thinking about how sustainable I would be. Gladly the things I learned on the Global Citizenship Human Service and Social Impact enrichment series such as menu building and working with resorts on how they source and sustain their kitchen to produce for its clientele, provided me with knowledge that should be shared so that we all can create overall health and wellness through culture and food. Curating ideas to help all people globally provides me with a fulfillment and purpose. I have gone through tremendous loss and overcome that loss and gained passions through that loss to better global wellness. My mission starts and ends with food, from how it’s sourced to the plate and served. If community garden spaces where people could show a demonstration on how to use the produce sourced and their benefits in health and wellness I would think global sustainability would benefit as well. Small businesses in areas wish as Belize could be shown how to maintain a garden space that makes the kitchen a more self-sustaining and beneficial asset to any business in the hospitality industry.
Bio
My name is Germonte Johnson and I am a Global Sustainability Enthusiast, Chef, singer and future humanitarian. I have been working for multiple restaurants of different cultural backgrounds gaining knowledge of food safety and food preparation. I specialize in fresh farm to table concepts in food preparation. I also specialize in gardening sustainability and the benefits of fresh produce. I believe in the concept that every human should be able to live in health, wellness and a sense of worth in one’s self and their impact on the world. I dream of one day owning a space where people can come for freshly sourced delights and live performances in an environment where wellness and self sustainability and that impact on the world are at the forefront. My aspiration in life is to continue to spread the love of health and wellness for people that my mother shared with me.
As an African American young adult growing up in what I always felt to be a little big town, I often wondered what other people go through in life that also look like me but live in different time zones. When I was presented with the opportunity to visit Belize on a 14-day culinary fellowship I jumped at it. Then I took a step back to think about what world I would be entering and the journey that would follow. We as Americans often get comfortable in our surroundings and we shut out other cultures, so it was exciting for me being my first time out of the country and being fully immersed into Caribbean culture. Seeing faces that looked oddly familiar and being welcomed by people who know nothing about you felt more like a “welcome home hug” as opposed to just walking off the plane being greeted by warm weather and palm trees. Experiencing the country and seeing first hand how they make the life given to them work out makes you think that even myself as a black man in America down here I have more privileges than I realized. The things I’ve become accustomed to in life aren’t the necessities but an American privilege that I quickly learned should be turned back into service to those that are without. I started thinking of ways that a small family living in a rural area with little means of transit could sustain themselves without being solely dependent on a major food supply chain. Over the course of 2 years I spent time with friends back home studying herbs and vegetables, what makes them grow, proper climates and expected yields from the plants. With the knowledge that was acquired it should be given back in service to those who may not know about cultivation or soil testing to ensure maximum production of the garden space. I feel it should be a human right to be able to sustain yourself and your family with organic produce.
Urban Garden Development
Like most cities around the world poverty, low income neighborhoods, food deserts and job security are ever present in Belize City. Developing an Urban Gardens that benefits the immediate community around it provides them with fresh organic produce, inciteful ways of preparing the produce for maximum nutritional value, jobs and/or community service initiatives, and a safe place for the community. Once given full permission by the city council, something that I really want to work on is creating ways to fund the Urban Garden so that it doesn’t become a hassle for the city and doesn’t deplete their finances. A costly component to garden spaces is upkeep, which could be volunteer based whether through local citizens taking pride in their community or community outreach programs looking to service projects in the city.
2018 Culinary Team
While being on this culinary fellowship I got to work with three other individuals that also had very similar interests in food preparation, cultural cuisine, food justice and lifestyles. In our first week of the fellowship we learned of higher levels of hospitality which we found makes a huge difference in rating the experience you have dining out, we worked on menu building, and figured out ways to incorporate American food with Caribbean flavors to educate them about cultural differences, food fusions, and so that the taste buds can adjust to a new world of flavor. After going through that process we worked on how we could create a 5 star experience for a group of youth from CBMA (Campaign for Black Male Achievement) being out of the country for the first time. Collectively brainstorming on menu options was an enjoyable experience for me because I had not been given the opportunity back home to test my skill level in menu selection, so being successful with this team was very memorable. When the kids first arrived we could tell there was some disappointment in the food because it wasn’t what they were used to but by the time their 11 day trip was over we had them wanting more of the Belizean staple meal (stewed chicken, coconut rice and beans and potato salad), and also my personal favorite a puffed pastry known as Fry Jacks. Moving throughout the country, going from urban to suburban to beach front I noticed a lot of untapped land. Some in which are utilized as jungle sanctuaries for the wildlife of Belize. Seeing how thick the foliage was in most areas was a clear sign of how nutrient filled the land is. The rural areas I mentioned earlier would benefit greatly by tapping into a portion of some areas and developing farm land to supply those villages.
2018-2019 Food & Beverage Teams
During our trip I came across some amazing people in the food and beverage industry of Belize. The stay at Black Orchid Resort was like a home away from home from the welcoming atmosphere to the execution of the menu we had built for CBMA. Chef Briceno, the head of the culinary team, displayed so much joy for the culinary arts and his willingness to work around the clock to ensure that the menu we set in place was executed properly. The team at Black Orchid Resort made our 5-star experience come to life from the day 1 welcome drinks to the closing ceremony dinner. Chef Briceno allowed us to come into his kitchen with open arms and gave us a glimpse of the talents that made our Belizean experience that much more memorable. Traveling south to Hopkins Bay Resort we came across a great hospitality manager in Mr. Mariano, who was effortless in giving us that 5-star experience. He showed me how to cater to the customer’s needs, while also being pulled in other directions by the other guests staying on the resort. I do hope he knows how much of an example of what outstanding hospitality looks like that we learned about earlier in that week. Watching how he navigates and his troubleshooting skills in the moment and even his willingness to create an experience that guests may expect but is exceeded was a treat to be a part of and work alongside. Working with the culinary team at the Radisson at Fort George in Belize City was a bit different since it was more on the corporate end. Not being members of the staff, we didn’t get the privilege to go into their kitchen space, but the food and beverage manager at the Radisson was still more than willing to work with us on the kid’s dinner menus. We were allowed to take over the dining space which gave us more freedom to teach the CBMA delegates of certain etiquettes of fine dining like the proper utensil to use for which course of the meal, being served on the right-hand side, and also place your dining cloth on your lap while eating. It was nice to see inner city youth become acclimated to a fine dining experience as opposed to the grab and go they might be used to in the states.
Culinary Immersions
While here in Belize I was introduced to the Saqui family. These beautiful Mayan people have so much history that I had the pleasure of learning about the culture of chocolate making from the village chief Mr. Saqui. We were also led on a tour of the cocoa farm by Mr. Saqui’s brother who showed us the stages of the cocoa tree and how they start as buds on the trunk of the tree. From that he showed us what a ready cocoa pod looked like and split it open and let us taste the fruit around the cocoa seed. He explained to us why we were having to duck down under the cocoa trees which is because the cooler temperature of the shade is needed for the pods to grow. It was eye opening seeing what cocoa looked like in its natural form. As Mr. Saqui (brother) was giving us more facts about the cocoa plant, he cracked one of the pods open for us to see the inside and taste the fruit that surrounds the actual source of the chocolate which is the cocoa seed. After taking the tour of the farm we headed back to the Chocolate Center where we were given a demonstration on how they first dry the seeds out, roast them and then grind them down to liquid form. We learned that in that process of grinding he was using a traditional Mayan stone which had been in his family for generations. We also learned that that same grinding process is how Cocoa oil is made, what we know as Cocoa-butter in its more solid state. After grinding the cocoa in order to sweeten it they use pure cane sugar that they break down and process themselves then put into big mixers to keep it from solidifying until they have enough cocoa to start making the chocolate bars. The pride that was clearly seen by the Saqui family in what they do and the legacy that has been passed down by his mother and mother’s mother was something I hope continues to be shared. They are a very rich people in their history and culture, and it was such a “treat” to learn from them. Something I felt also forever bridged me to the Saqui’s was the vision that Ambassador Shabazz had to renovate their work space. She wanted the inside of his establishment to look like what you smell when you first walk through his door, pure chocolate. The Culinary team I was on fellowship with came together to paint and add color to his workshop space but keeping the essence of Mr. Saqui and his chocolate. During this service project you could feel the pride that came over him and his employees who also ran with the idea of giving the place they work a new appeal. No matter how hot we may have been, the work was so rewarding when we watched Mr. Saqui pull the tape from the walls we used to make the design come to life. Mr. Saqui is still a wonder of the world for his innovative ways of infusing flavors into his chocolate bars and it brings me joy every time I see him and his family and also what new cocoa products he’s come up with.
Madam Maris Sharp
Marie Sharp is someone I would say is a Belize national treasure. I was first introduced to this lovely lady on a bottle of hot sauce that quickly noticed in every restaurant we had been to in Belize. She was solely responsible for giving the world a flavor packed carrot based hot sauce that can be found around the world. After reading her history on the bottle I felt inspired to say the least and motivated to put that same kind of energy into my craft. With the help of her family she was able to manifest her dreams and open a Marie Sharp distribution company. Being able to meet Madam Marie in person and take a tour of her farm and facility was an eye opener for me because it showed me what was needed in order to supply your own business and make it profitable. On the tour I learned that there was a very essential need to distribute worldwide which is the ozone machine. The ozone machine is vital in the packaging industry because it is a disinfectant treatment that helps with shelf life in stores. Her entire factory where she prepares her hot sauces looked as if it had just been put through an ozone machine. Her floors were clean enough to eat off, which made me start to think of the cleanliness and safety precautions she has set in place. I could only hope that in my lifetime I would figure out how to manifest an empire.
Wisdom Wellness and Worth Global
Experiences Influencing Culinary and
Hospitality Industries 2023-2024
November 21, 2016 I lost my mother due to complications of the heart and high blood pressure. Complications that were caused from years of an unhealthy diet. From that day it ignited a passion in me to improve the ways that the black community consumes food across the world. Processed and fried foods are one of the main sources for unhealthy lifestyles. Losing my mother inspired me to take the knowledge she taught me of basic kitchen techniques and how to make fresher healthier food options that appeal to your wellbeing but are also tasty. After some years of line cook work and doing small scale catering in different kitchens and restaurants I was blessed to be invited back by the Pilgrimage Foundation to be a part of the Young Solutionist initiative. The passion that I have for using fresh ingredients in food to prepare meals to me is the best way to share special moments with loved ones while also being healthily nourished. Something I want to take globally, figuring out ways in which these important cultural staple meals can be transformed to still hold true to their roots but also promote a sense of overall healthy eating. Being in the Culinary and Hospitality industry I’ve learned some of the vital ways that they sustain the business aspect while providing some of their more healthy options. The ways that they multipurpose foods would help a lot of the struggling small business restaurants we’ve worked with throughout Belize. For instance, take a tomato that is being slightly crushed to be the base for a pizza sauce. While crushing these tomatoes the juice and remnants of the tomato that come through the strainer are then used for the base of a vegetable soup. Something as simple as that saves from unwanted waste and also creates a more sustainable system within the restaurant. I’ve learned that any product that can be used in a multipurpose way can be grown in our own backyards. After going through the latest global cross-pandemic’s along with the rest of the world I really started thinking about how sustainable I would be. Gladly the things I learned on the Global Citizenship Human Service and Social Impact enrichment series such as menu building and working with resorts on how they source and sustain their kitchen to produce for its clientele, provided me with knowledge that should be shared so that we all can create overall health and wellness through culture and food. Curating ideas to help all people globally provides me with a fulfillment and purpose. I have gone through tremendous loss and overcome that loss and gained passions through that loss to better global wellness. My mission starts and ends with food, from how it’s sourced to the plate and served. If community garden spaces where people could show a demonstration on how to use the produce sourced and their benefits in health and wellness I would think global sustainability would benefit as well. Small businesses in areas wish as Belize could be shown how to maintain a garden space that makes the kitchen a more self-sustaining and beneficial asset to any business in the hospitality industry.
Bio
My name is Germonte Johnson and I am a Global Sustainability Enthusiast, Chef, singer and future humanitarian. I have been working for multiple restaurants of different cultural backgrounds gaining knowledge of food safety and food preparation. I specialize in fresh farm to table concepts in food preparation. I also specialize in gardening sustainability and the benefits of fresh produce. I believe in the concept that every human should be able to live in health, wellness and a sense of worth in one’s self and their impact on the world. I dream of one day owning a space where people can come for freshly sourced delights and live performances in an environment where wellness and self sustainability and that impact on the world are at the forefront. My aspiration in life is to continue to spread the love of health and wellness for people that my mother shared with me.
Organizer
Germonte Johnson
Organizer
Louisville, KY