Moroccan dinner with Caribbean chef Irie.

uVu’s Alizee Laroche had the opportunity to have a one on one chat with the amazing Chef Irie. On April 25, 2012, Chef Irie held his monthly “Buss’em Out Wednesdays” at Island’s Fusion Kitchen in Dania Beach, and uVu was in on the action! If you’ve never tasted Chef Irie’s cooking, be prepared to ask for seconds!

On the evening of Buss’em Out Wednesdays, Chef Irie cooked a Moroccan themed dinner for an intimate crowd of his followers.  

Sauteed pureed Eggplant with Red Lentil soup and Cilantro Yogurt sauce  Sausage Merguez with Onion & Date Compote,                                            Pomegranate cilantro Yogurt sauce, toasted Pita bread

                                           Lamb Tagine over pepper and cilantro couscous

               Seared KingKlip in Chemoulah Sauce Over Cilantro infused spiced pureed green banana

             Sugared Puff Pastry with Honey vanilla cream sauce, Quince compote and Pistachio Dus

 

This event takes place once a month, where Chef Irie presents a newly created menu for his fans to enjoy. In addition to pleasing his guests, Chef Irie also gives back to the community. All the proceeds of the event were donated to “Kids in Distress.”

Originally from Jamaica, Chef Irie began his studies in architecture at the University of Florida. However, it wasn’t long before he discovered that he had a profound passion for culinary arts. As a result, Chef Irie followed his dreams and earned an associates degree in culinary arts from Johnson & Wales University in North Miami. His style of cooking, as he calls it a “Caribbean Fusion,” is quite unique and exquisite. Chef Irie shared some of his culinary secrets with uVu, and he loves using spices from all over the world and combining these spices to create an explosion of flavors.

“The world uses mostly the same spices,” says Chef Irie, “It just depends on how you put them together and how much you use.” In fact, one of Chef Irie’s favorite spices to use when cooking is thyme; he
 loves the aroma and flavor that it adds to a dish. Chef Irie has not limited himself to doing just one thing. He also has his own catering company, and he is a private chef for one of Miami’s own Heat players.

As someone who has made a name for himself in the culinary industry, Chef Irie recommends to anyone with the same dream to, “Find a mentor while you are in school, and find a mentor even after you have graduated.”