Chef Toya Henry combines diverse flavors to highlight the sophistication of Caribbean cuisine.
Photo Cred: Chef Toya Henry
Chef Toya is committed to learning.
She spent two years traveling throughout Southeast Asia to study diverse regional flavors. Since then, Chef Henry has developed her techniques and sustainable practices at many prominent establishments, including Mina Stone Catering, Maketto & Spoken English, and Michelin-starred Oxalis.
In 2018, she launched Pimento to shift the approach to Caribbean cuisine by infusing various cuisines into traditional recipes. She currently hosts private events and supper clubs throughout New York City, working at events from The James Beard Foundation to MoMA PS1.
For our A NIGHT IN pop-up series, Chef Henry presented Carib Meets East, a masterful three-course Caribbean and Southeast Asian fusion menu. Incorporating her travels and cooking expertise into each dish, guests experienced unique flavor profiles rich with history.
Chef Henry’s main inspiration comes from her upbringing. She connects her influences in her dishes, as her mom is from Barbados, and her dad is from Jamaica. While she learned that each of her cultures has a different cooking techniques, she enjoys finding commonalities in their cooking techniques, flavors, and spices.
"I wanted to build a bond between myself and the person having dinner. When I create dishes and menus, I focus on putting my heart and spirit into the dishes, so I'm sharing a bit of me with you."
In our first course, we were mesmerized by a Gem Kabocha Cake, paired with a delicious chicory salad, Asian pear, and a lemon and yuzu dressing. The dish was a perfect combination of sweet and bitter.
"This cake is one that I learned from my grandfather. He used to make it for me every other morning, and it's also a dish he learned from generations of women in his family."
Following the starter, Chef Henry served herbed bird’s eye chicken stuffed with her family’s secret green seasoning. On the side, she prepared cook-up rice, a Guyanese one-pot dish commonly served during New Year’s Day.
"The chicken has used this seasoning in my family for years. I'm the 6th generation to prepare it and put my own spin on it."
Chef Henry prepared a chocolate truffle bite with 60% cacao and a small rum brownie bite on the bottom for dessert. Edible tea flowers sat atop each truffle. Vietnamese and Ethiopian coffee rounded out the bite. It was the perfect sweet, savory, and bitter trifecta.
Chef Henry hopes to represent how dynamic Caribbean food can be through each meal. Through her creative approach, she displays new kinds of Caribbean food and demystifies how complex the flavors can be.
Explore our virtual and in-person cooking classes, mixology experiences and more — all hosted by Black chefs and culinary creators.
