By Tangerine Clarke
Mondale A. Smith has the
best chef’s job in the world.
His charismatic style and food
preparation techniques are his
modus operandi that attract
many Guyanese to wherever he
is cooking a good meal.
Smith, owner of Chef Mondale’s
Kitchen, who shot to
fame more than five years ago
after he started cooking from
his home in Princess Street
Worthmanville and posting on
social media, laid out one of
his better selling dishes for this
reporter during a recent interview
at his new 189 Church
St. location in the capital city,
Georgetown.
He shared his delicious Essequibo
Rice special. The staple,
cooked with raisins and coconut
milk, was served with fillet
fish, and a side of sautéed bora
and carrot veggie, paired with
Mauby drink.
Smith, an iconic media personality
and popular emcee,
through his cooking, pays
tribute to the Essequibo farming
region, where his produce
comes from. “We are self reliant
in producing enough from
this area,” he shared.
The menu features curried
crab, baked fish in coconut
milk and cheese sauce, fried
fish, baked chicken in honey
mustard sauce, three beans
rice, shine rice with dried
shrimps, veggie shine rice, stir
fried vegetables, chicken foot
souse, white pudding, seafood
platter, barbeque and vegetarian
entrees, desserts, and local
fruit drinks. Delicious options
that keep foodies flocking to
Chef Mondale’s Kitchen.
Noting that he serves creole
cuisine, catering to everyone
seeking quality, healthy Guyanese
Caribbean L 20 ife, JAN. 29-FEB. 4, 2021
cooking, Chef Mondale’s
Carte du jour is also influenced
by his travels beyond the
Atlantic.
He has experienced the lifestyles
of the people of Ghana,
and the authentic way they use
local produce to create delicious
dishes.
While also living Suriname,
St. Maartin, and Venezuela,
the chef immersed himself in
these cultures, and incorporates
their style of cooking to
bring healthy, flavorful fare to
his restaurant.
The chef who operates his
restaurant, while following all
safety protocols during the
coronavirus pandemic, said he
loves cooking.
“Cooking is my therapy” said
the multi-talented individual,
who finds solace in food preparation,
whenever he become
frustrated and needs a break
from his news broadcast.
“Cooking is a family trait. It
started with my late mother,
and my sisters who are talented
cooks. I had asked my mother
before she passed away, why
she cooked so much food, she
replied, ‘when you cook, people
will come, or you would have
food for later.’”
“I started cooking from the
age of nine by accident. My
father went to work leaving my
siblings and me at home, and
when we became hungry, no
Chef Mondale’s Kitchen, owner, Mondale Smith showcases
one of his favorite meals. Mondale A. Smith
one was willing to turn on the
stove except me. So I decided to
cook porridge,” he explained.
According to him, it didn’t
go quite well, and when his parent
returned home and heard
he had lit the stove, he was
fearful of being punished.
Instead, he said, “Son, if you
are going to do something, do
it properly. I don’t approve of
you turning on the stove, but
what I approve of, is that you
were thinking how you could
feed those in the house,” before
giving him a tutorial.
Chef Mondale’s Kitchen keeping
people fed during pandemic
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