Pictures of cute looking pastries, cakes and snacks from Carol’s Kitchen are posted on Facebook, along with testimonials from customers who appreciate being able to order authentic Guyanese dishes for shipment or pickup in North America.
The business was founded in August last year by former beauty queen Carol Ann Lynch, who currently lives in Canada. Because of the pandemic, Lynch lost his job and was stuck at home. Cooking and baking had always been hobbies and so, like many housebound people, she spent her time doing just that.
Every so often, she would post pictures of her finished products on Facebook and was told she should get into the catering business. After reflecting on her for a while, Lynch decided that if she went to work to support herself and her daughter, she might as well be doing something she loved.
Starting took a bit of effort as she did not immediately know where she could find the necessary ingredients, especially for fresh produce. One of the challenges was getting the right kind of mangoes to make the sour (dip / sauce / chutney) that complements some of the snacks. Another was to acquire tamarind for tamarind balls. Once she was able to cross those barriers by finding a shop in western India, she was all set.
Orders are shipped around Canada as well as to the US. Items shipped include Chicken Foot (Sal Sev), Mithai, Cheese Straws, Tamarind Balls, Black Cake, Cheese Rolls and Pine Towers. She makes patties for catering events only because they contain meat and could spoil as shipment could take up to two weeks. She has also received applications from Guyanese living in Barbados, the UK, Sweden and Italy. However, posting to and from Canada and these countries has been stopped for the time being, he said, because of the pandemic.
When asked if she already knew to make all the items available, Lynch said no, but learning wasn’t too difficult. For those who may be concerned about the safe handling of the food, Lynch is certified by the Canadian government in safe food handling and smart serving. She is currently pursuing a culinary arts certificate from George Brown College.
Lynch noted that when she first started, some people question what a former pageant queen would know about cooking, possibly because of the stereotype that women who went into pageants were useless in the kitchen. Many have since changed their perception.
“This is how I make my living,” he said. “I am what you call ‘the cook’. I’m always cooking. The more people I have to cook for, the happier I am. Most importantly, it feels good to bring authentic Guyanese dishes to people here in North America who say they only get these dishes when they are in Guyana. “
She receives orders every day and customers don’t mind waiting for their shipments or calls to pick up their orders. Many of them are repeat customers, Lynch said. Other bookings, he noted, are usually for the weekend. For the past six months, she has been catering for small events hosted by Guyanese families. Its peak season was during the Christmas holidays when many people who could not return to Guyana for the season placed orders for black cakes.
At the time of this interview, Lynch was busy working on some new treats for Valentine’s Day. She planned to offer them as samples when customers arrived for their orders. Valentine’s Day specials included heart-shaped beef and chicken patties at discounted prices as well as cupcakes and heart-shaped cakes.
When asked if she would return to work if her job became available again, Lynch said she was not interested as she was doing what she loved. “I think this is definitely something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. Every time I get a customer, I have a different experience. The feedback is always great; that’s what keeps me going, ”he shared.
This is just the beginning of what she hopes for Carol’s Kitchen. Lynch plans to eventually have a half-in / diner restaurant but with COVID-19 still unmanaged, he had no timetable for this. However, once it has started, it plans to make its food available through Uber Eats and Skip the Dishes, two online restaurant ordering and food distribution services. For now, she’s doing business through WhatsApp and Facebook.
Carol’s Kitchen can be reached on Facebook at Carol’s Kitchen – Toronto or WhatsApp at +1 289-600-4964.