Georgia Maureen Guscott – cooking a passion

Published August 4, 2010

Hospitality Jamaica 

One of her favourite time of the week, when she was growing up was to accompany her mother to Coronation market to buy vegetables. “It was a different little world, the sight and smell of fresh fruits and vegetables was fascinating,” said Georgia Guscott, senior sous chef at Courtleigh Hotel and Suites, Kingston.  

 

As the colours and varieties of the produce in the marketplace mesmerized the nine year old, she used to experiment making dishes at home.

Guscott said that she used to buy little pots from vendors and cook pudding, dumplings and roll. “It was like playing with food and cooking,” she said.

It was this passion for cooking that set her sights on transitioning from home to cooking in the hotel kitchen; she did food and nutrition in the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC), went on to do Basic and Advanced Certificate in cake decorating and gum pasting. She also has a diploma in Food &Beverage Management.

But the road to her dream job did not come in an instance; she started working at Mother’s Patties as counter hostess and then became a supervisor.  She later moved to Terra Nova, where she worked as a waitress.  “An opportunity came in the breakfast kitchen, and I took it up immediately,” Guscott said.

The road to realizing her dreams had begun; she worked her way up from the breakfast to pantry chef.

In 2002 she joined Courtleigh Hotel and Suites as senior sous chef and there has been no looking back, having won numerous awards for her culinary creations and tackling all the challenges with a smile.

Guscott, a Seventh Day Adventist, has one daughter, Danielle who is in Holy Childhood High, “She wants to become a mid wife and I am encouraging her to pursue whatever she wants.”

For this culinary aficionado, life revolves around work and home, where she has a fan following too. “I live in Old Harbour, it is usually late when I home, I cook sometime, the aroma gets the neighbours coming home,” she said, chuckling. “I end up getting the leftovers.”

When she is at work, the aromas are enough to satisfy her, “On the days I am working I really don’t have much of an appetite, the tastings make me full”. 

The senior sous chef spends most of her time at home listening to gospel and Celine Dion and tending to her garden. “I love gardening and have grown gungo peas, melon and pumpkin,” she said.

Guscott, who wants to open a little restaurant offering local cuisine, is inspired by the variety of produce that Jamaica has to offer, “I try and incorporate as much as local produce as possible,” she said.

And her key to success is in the simplicity that she exudes as a person. “I love what I do and have learnt one key thing…there are 100 ways to do one dish; as long as you have the basic knowledge you can do a variety of dishes.”

In an area dominated by males, Guscott is carving a niche for herself and loving every moment of it. “It is a challenging job, you have to be strong,” she said. “I worship, acknowledge, respect and give thanks to God.”